The Loganville community is mourning 17-year-old Antonio Thornton Jr., a high school senior who was shot and killed while visiting family in Savannah last December 2025. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that two teenagers have been arrested in connection with his death outside Magnolia Lane Apartments in Bloomingdale. A vigil with a balloon release was held at Baycreek Park in Loganville, where community members remembered Thornton with his favorite colors — red, black, and white. His mother, Tyesha Abdullah, said, "He was loved by so many people," and "So many people are going to miss him. He left us in a horrible way," according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Abdullah spoke about the close bond she shared with her son, TJ, saying, "We do everything together," and "It's always been me and TJ. For him not to be here anymore it's hard on me." After the arrest in the case, she expressed empathy for the suspect’s family, stating, "Everybody is losing in this situation. I'm just praying for everybody in this situation." Despite her grief, Abdullah leaned on her faith, saying, "I forgive him because that's what God wants me to do," and "That’s what I’m supposed to do, even though it’s hard, it’s not easy," as per FOX 5 Atlanta.
Details about what led to Thornton's shooting have not been released. 17-year-old Terrance Devon Green and 16-year-old Franklin Leonard James Jr. are facing charges, including felony murder and armed robbery. Green, from Pooler, is in the Chatham County Detention Center. James, from Savannah, is being charged as an adult and is in the Savannah Regional Youth Detention Center, as mentioned by 11Alive.
