Two teens arrested in fatal shooting at graduation party

SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies arrested two teenagers Monday in the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy at a graduation party this past weekend.

Cederrius Hastings was at a party Friday night in Butts County when he and three other people were shot. Hastings died, while the other three victims survived and are stable.

The sheriff says all four were innocent bystanders.

Two teens arrested in shooting

Deputies arrested Germarius "Gee" Oneal, 19, and Christopher "Ray Ray" Walker, 19, and charged them with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. %

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Investigators say the shooting was not gang-related. Instead, it was the result of an argument between student athletes from Jackson and Griffin.

Deputies say they believe a shootout was planned between the athletes and information about it was posted on social media.

"It's just a senseless act of violence," Butts County Sheriff Gary Long said.

He says there were at least four shooters that night, but only two have been arrested. Deputies recovered more than two dozen shell casings.

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Both suspects are being held in the Butts County Jail. More arrests are expected.

Teen tried to save Hastings after shooting

Hastings was an honor roll student and a wide receiver on the Griffin High School football team. He was also a father, who in his last breath spoke about how much he loved his 8-month-old daughter.

"He was telling her what he wanted her to tell his daughter, which was, let her know that he loves her and always will," said Shuwanda Smith, whose daughter tried to help Hastings when he was shot.

Instead of running to safety when a bullet pierced his chest, her daughter, Shanayia, stayed by his side.

"She told me he had stopped breathing and she performed CPR on him and brought him back to breathing," Smith said.

Smith says her daughter did everything she could to put pressure on his wound and keep him talking before medics arrived to rush him to the hospital.

"It makes me feel proud to know that even in the midst of trouble, she was able to show compassion to another human being," she said.

Family holds candlelight vigil to remember him

Hastings' family held a candlelight vigil Monday night. Hundreds of people, including Hastings' daughter, showed up to remember him. %

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They told Channel 2's Nefertiti Jáquez that thanks to the arrests, they can now start the healing process.

“I feel like this is our first step in finding closure. But in the end, it doesn’t bring him back. They robbed us of a son, nephew, grandson. They robbed our family of someone we loved. This didn’t have to happen,” Hastings' aunt, Carlisa Morris, said.

His family also urged the crowd at the vigil not to retaliate, saying Hastings would want peace.

"He's looking at y'all and smiling. Please do not retaliate," a woman told the crowd.

Cox Media Group