DeKalb County police arrested an 18-year-old suspect in the shooting deaths of two Fort Pierce brothers, ages 11 and 12, who were killed Sunday at an apartment complex in Georgia. The Fort Pierce community is raising money to help bring the boys home for burial.
DeKalb County police Chief Gregory Padrick announced the arrest of Julian Ellis, who is charged in connection with the deaths of Jamarion Rolle, 11, and Ja'khi Clark, 12. The boys grew up in Fort Pierce before moving to Georgia with their family.
"Two children should still be alive today," Padrick said during a news conference.
The shooting stemmed from an altercation that began while the boys were playing a backyard football game days earlier, according to police. The mother of the two boys said the suspect and a few others showed up to their apartment Sunday and began trying to fight the boys before shots were fired.
Two women were also shot in the incident. Both survived and received treatment for their injuries. One of the women underwent surgery on Thursday, family members said.
The boys' aunt said both were straight-A students and were born and raised in Fort Pierce. Their mother said they did everything together as a family, and both boys loved Roblox and being with their siblings and family.
"No family should have to endure the senseless loss of children," DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said. "No mother or father should have to bury their children. It truly goes against the laws of nature and expectation in our society."
The Fort Pierce community is rallying around the grieving family through donations and other forms of support. A GoFundMe is raising money to help bring the boys home to Florida.