Gunfire tore through the Wilcoxen Street neighborhood in Newnan just after 1:28 p.m. Saturday, sending residents scrambling and leaving at least two nearby homes pocked with stray bullets. By the time detectives finished piecing together what happened, three men were taken to the Coweta County Jail facing felony charges.
Newnan Police officers were dispatched to 32 Wilcoxen Street after a 911 caller reported multiple gunshots in the area, according to Cedar News. Officers arriving on scene found shell casings scattered in the road and surrounding area, and as reported by WSB-TV, two people on the ground told investigators that several people traveling in a white Kia passenger car had shot at them, prompting them to return fire. Ballistics work at the scene confirmed the exchange struck at least two homes that had nothing to do with the dispute.
Detectives leaned on neighborhood video footage to identify the white Kia and additional people believed to be involved, the same WSB-TV report notes. That trail led officers to Cliff Circle, where they detained three people, secured the Kia and a nearby home, and recovered several guns along with marijuana at the scene.
Three Men Booked on Felony Counts
Coweta County booking records reviewed by local scanner observers on Facebook show 25-year-old Demetrius Daunte Freeman and 26-year-old Fermandez Ardell Jones, both of Newnan, were charged with aggravated assault. The Cliff Circle raid on Monday brought a third arrest: 22-year-old Jami Remon Bowles, also of Newnan, who was charged with aggravated assault and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, per the same booking timeline.
Apple Music identifies Bowles as a songwriter for iam3hard, with a songwriting credit published on Apple Music for the track “Maniac.” All three men were taken to the Coweta County Jail.
What Georgia Law Says They're Facing
Under Georgia Code § 16-5-21, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is a felony carrying a sentence of one to 20 years in prison, according to a summary published by Justia Law. Bowles's added drug charge carries its own exposure — Georgia Code § 16-13-30(j) makes possession of marijuana with intent to distribute a felony punishable by one to 10 years in prison for a first offense, with intent often proven through circumstantial evidence like scales, packaging, or cash, according to an analysis from the George McCranie Law Firm.
Newnan Police say the case remains open, and detectives are still working to speak with several additional people of interest, per WSB-TV's report. That leaves room for further charges — or competing self-defense claims — to surface as investigators continue analyzing the recovered weapons and ballistics evidence. Anyone with information has been asked to contact Det. Marcos Gonzalez at 770-254-2355 or by email at [email protected].
A City Already Grappling With Gun Violence
The shootout adds to a rough stretch for a city that has seen its share of high-profile violent incidents this year. In April, Newnan police investigated the fatal shooting of Hunter Ross Williams on Octavia Place, a case Hoodline previously covered. In August, Coweta County law enforcement deployed SWAT units, drone operators, and hostage negotiators during a four-hour standoff on Highway 154 near Newnan that ended with a barricaded suspect's arrest.
The numbers back up the sense of strain. According to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data compiled by OpenCrime, Newnan recorded 204 aggravated assaults in 2024, pushing its overall violent crime rate to 552.0 per 100,000 residents — roughly 54% above the national average, with aggravated assault making up the bulk of the city's violent crime reports. The broader picture also includes the city's demographics and employment conditions.
The Wilcoxen Street investigation underscores how surveillance and camera evidence — including the neighborhood video that helped identify the white Kia and additional people believed to be involved — can shape how Newnan police build their investigations.
