DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A Valdosta man has been sentenced to life without parole for a shooting inside a South DeKalb Mall restaurant that killed one person and injured three others.
James Elderidge Scott, 49, was found guilty of multiple charges, including Malice Murder and Felony Murder, in connection with the shooting that occurred on June 10, 2022.
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Daletavious McGuire died in the shooting. Investigators said McGuire and his family were celebrating his mother’s 71st birthday. According to investigators, a confrontation began when Scott brushed up against a victim’s fiancée, leading to an argument.
Prosecutors say witnesses attempted to de-escalate the situation, but Scott pulled out a gun and began shooting. Investigator surveillance video showed Scott firing multiple rounds inside the restaurant.
Then, he grabbed a pitcher of beer and walked into the parking lot, where several cars were also shot, prosecutors said.
The following day, a mall security guard discovered a neon vest and straw hat matching the suspect’s attire, which were later linked to Scott through DNA evidence. An anonymous tipster identified Scott from surveillance images published by Crime Stoppers of Greater Atlanta.
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