‘Inseparable’ best friends killed in South Fulton double homicide; manhunt for gunman

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - A press conference was held Thursday morning to provide an update on a shooting that left two teenagers dead in a South Fulton neighborhood.

Police are still searching for the gunman responsible for the shooting, which happened Tuesday night in the Cooks Landing subdivision.

STORY: South Fulton police continue searching for shooter who killed 2 teens

Manhunt for gunman

What we know:

South Fulton leaders said police are actively working to solve the double homicide that left two teenagers dead, emphasizing that investigators are following "very promising" leads but are still in the early stages of the case. 

"Our law enforcement officers have been working around the clock to solve this matter," officials said. 

Officials said the teens did not live in the neighborhood and that while the shooting may have stemmed from a prior dispute, a motive has not been confirmed. 

They also pushed back on rumors circulating online, saying, "We urge the public not to speculate," as detectives work to build a case based on verified facts. 

They added that there may have been a third person in the vehicle, who is not considered a suspect at this time, and that it’s still unclear whether the shooter or shooters were inside or outside the car.

Officials said detectives are reviewing evidence, including possible video, and working closely with partners, including Fulton County Schools. 

They also reassured residents about safety in the area and made it clear the investigation remains a top priority, saying, "We are working several leads that appear to be very promising." Investigators also delivered a direct message to whoever is responsible: "We’re going to find you… it’s just a matter of time."

Teens gunned down in South Fulton

The backstory:

Officers responded to the 4200 block of Fortune Point just before 8:30 p.m. after reports of gunfire. When they arrived, they found two teenage victims suffering from gunshot wounds.

Both teens were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they later died.

The Fulton County Medical Examiner identified the victims as 16-year-old Jamauri (J'Mauri) Smarr and 14-year-old Jeremiah Carter.

Investigators spent hours at the scene overnight, focusing in part on a white sedan that was later towed away.

South Fulton Mayor Carmalitha Gumbs called the shooting a "devastating loss" and said the city is working closely with law enforcement as the investigation continues.

"My heart goes out to the families of these young victims and the entire community as we grapple with this," the mayor said.

‘He was goofy and fun’

What they're saying:

"J’Mauri was goofy. He always had us laughing even if it was supposed to be serious," Jamicia Smarr said. "Never, ever in a million years would I have ever been expecting to lose my child I'm sorry." She said J'Mauri and Jeremiah were best friends who called each other cousins. "Mi case, su case is the relationship they had," she said. 

The mother said the last time she spoke to her son was on Tuesday when he asked for money to get food with his best friend. 

Darius Malcolm, J’Mauri’s cousin, remembered the teenager as having a driven personality.

"He was goofy and fun and funny he had an entrepreneurial spirit he wanted to work for his money," Malcolm said. "I look at both of them as nephews and they are both gone, senseless. They were great kids who came from beautiful parents,, and they are gone too young. They had everything they needed to succeed in life everything. This wasn't 2 troubled kids."

Malcolm said the boys did not deserve to die. He said both men had a bright future ahead of them. "They were innocent. They were not ill willed. They were not armed, they did not deserve to die," he said. 

South Fulton officials issued a direct warning to those responsible for the double homicide.

"We will find you listen to me loud and clearly we will find you we will find where you are it's a matter of time it's simple and easiest quite frankly right now is turn yourself in," Dr. Cedric Alexander said.

Jamicia Smarr says she is now focused on the investigation and finding closure for both families.

"I just pray that they keep working as hard as they can if anyone has info come forward because I just want justice for my child and his best friend Jeremiah," she said.

The violence has shaken the community.

"When I heard what happened, I was kind of shocked," Jarvis Penn said.

Penn knew Jeremiah Carter through the Ellenwood Elite Gators youth football team, where Carter played and made an impact.

Investigation continues

What we don't know:

Investigators have not released a possible motive, and it’s unclear whether the teens lived in the neighborhood.

What you can do:

Anyone with information is urged to contact South Fulton Police.

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