Police say a Marietta man opened fire early Monday at the Laurel Hills Preserve apartments, spraying two vehicles with bullets and hitting the car carrying his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend. No one was hurt, but investigators found spent shell casings and two vehicles marked with multiple bullet holes. A multi-agency response led officers to take the suspect into custody later that morning.
According to Atlanta News First, Marietta police identified the suspect as 19-year-old Khalil Barnett and arrested him around 8 a.m. Monday. The outlet reports officers were called shortly after midnight to building 42 at the Laurel Hills Preserve complex off Bells Ferry Road.
As reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, officers at the scene found multiple shell casings and two vehicles damaged by bullet holes, including the car the teen victim was riding in when the shots were fired. FOX 5 says Barnett faces felony counts of aggravated assault with intent to murder, first-degree cruelty to children and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and that he was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.
Police Response And Arrest
Marietta police said SWAT teams from the city and Cobb County coordinated the arrest after detectives identified Barnett as the suspect. Investigators are cataloguing evidence, processing the damaged vehicles and interviewing witnesses as they build the case.
Charges And Legal Stakes
Barnett faces multiple felonies: aggravated assault with intent to murder, first-degree cruelty to children and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, according to charging information. Under Georgia law, aggravated assault is codified at OCGA § 16-5-21 and in many cases carries a sentence of one to 20 years, per FindLaw. Cruelty to children in the first degree is set out at OCGA § 16-5-70 and is punishable by five to 20 years, according to FindLaw. Prosecutors will decide whether to add or amend charges as evidence is reviewed.
What’s Next
Marietta police have not released a motive or details about bond, and detectives continue to review surveillance footage and witness statements as the investigation moves forward, Atlanta News First reported. Barnett remains in custody at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center, and a court date has not yet been posted.
