Family of man who drowned at pool party seeks justice

The family of a teen who died at an Atlanta pool party is calling for justice and asking for videos. The family of 19-year-old Shomari Billings is asking for people at Memorial Day party at The 500 at Northside complex to turn in their cell phone videos.

“It hurts to the deepest and I just want to know how exactly how did he spend his moments,” said Shelley Billings, the victim’s mother.

Cell phone video shows a big crowd and now the teens family and their legal representative are asking for other videos to help clarify what happened.

“What was put out on social media, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat,” said Billings.

In a police report sent to FOX 5 News, Atlanta police said officers responded around 5:37 p.m. in reference to a large gathering at the pool and asked Atlanta Fire Rescue to determine if the number of people at the pool was illegal. Unable to locate the caller police focused on clearing the roadway and canceled AFR as people began to leave.

The fire department was called back when police responded to the pool nearly two hours after the first call on a 911 call of a person down. Shomari Billings was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Tiffiney Hodge, a legal representative for the Billings family said there are many unanswered questions.

“If it was too many people there if it was a fire hazard so we don’t want to speculate on anything just yet but that’s the information we are trying to gather,” said Hodge.

One of the party organizers, who identified himself as “A.P.” told FOX 5 News on the phone they met with the leasing office weeks ahead of the pool party.

“We reached out to the leasing center and the people at home in the apartment homes to see if we could have the event,” said A.P.

The apartment complex told FOX 5 News, “the party was not authorized, broke numerous rules and that residents responsible for planning and promoting it will have their leases terminated.”

All good information but not enough for the family and friends of Shomari Billings.

“The end game is to bring justice to that family whatever that may look like,” said Hodge.

“Someone has more videos that they have not posted and I want those,” said Billings.

The Atlanta Police Department said at this time there are no obvious signs of foul play and the cause and manner of death are pending an autopsy.

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