Police: Teen gunned down in DeKalb County church parking lot

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Police in DeKalb County is investigating a deadly shooting which happened in the parking lot of a church Monday evening.

It happened in the parking lot of the Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist Church located on the corner of Big Miller Grove Way and Salem Road around 9:15 p.m. DeKalb County Police said 19-year-old Omar Johnson was walking with three of his friends, taking a short cut through the parking lot when he was shot.

Police said he was shot in the chest and died at the scene.

Howard Benton is the Director of Athletics at the church.  He says there was a church league basketball game going on at the time of the shooting. 

"I heard 4 shots. A few minutes later I looked out and saw a lot of police cars. It's sad and shocking," said Benton.

Investigators said they are searching for two people who may have gotten into an argument with the group. It was not immediately clear what the confrontation was about or the motive behind the shooting.

"Robbery may have been a motive, but we can't definitively say that was the case," said DeKalb County Police Spokeswoman Shiera Campbell.

“It's very sad. This young man, 19 years of age, still had the rest of his life ahead and has been cut short by somebody. And we are investigating to find out who done this and bring them in,” said Lt. Rod Bryant, DeKalb County Police Homicide Unit.