‘I tried to get him to stay’; Teenager found shot to death at Clayton County park

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Clayton County police are investigating after someone shot a 16-year-old boy and left him to die inside LoveJoy Park in Clayton County.

Friday, Channel 2 Action News’ Audrey Washington spoke with the mother of 16-year-old, Jamarious Deante Smith.

“I tried to get him to stay, but he just left and that was the last time I saw my son,” said Pumpkin Smith.

Smith said the last conversation with her son was about a group of his friends who showed up at her front door on Thursday.

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“It was around 12 noon yesterday. He had some guys on my porch that I did not approve of and I asked him to ask the guys to leave from in front of my door,” Smith explained.

Smith said her son left with the friends.

She told Channel 2 Action News’ Audrey Washington that at 12:30 a.m. Friday, police knocked at her door.

“They asked me if I had a picture. I showed them a picture and that’s when they told me they’re sorry, they found my son in LoveJoy Park dead. He was shot five times,” Smith said.

CCPD said after the shooting, Jamarious Smith was left in the park to die.

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Officers said by Friday morning, the investigation led to one suspect.

In an email sent to Channel 2 Action News, police wrote in part:

“The suspect in this case was subsequently charged with the following crimes as a party to the crime:

Murder

Aggravated Assault (and)

Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Crime

The suspect was taken to the Clayton County Jail. This investigation is ongoing at this time.”

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Smith told us she had no idea why anyone would kill her son.

She had a message for the people she believes are involved with the murder.

“Y’all woke my son up and lured him to the park with y’all and y’all murdered my son,” said Smith.

Police said more arrests in the case could be forthcoming.

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