Four suspects including two juveniles were indicted by a Fulton County grand jury Sept. 7 on murder charges in the shooting death of a 34-year-old man outside the Capital City Club located on the border of Brookhaven and Buckhead.
A Fulton County grand jury indicted Jayden Myrick, 18, and Torrus Fleetwood, 19, in the fatal shooting of Christian Broder on July 8, according to a press release from Fulton District Attorney Paul Howard. The two suspects are being held in Fulton County jail without bond.
Also indicted on murder charges were juveniles Kevan Reeves, 15, and Montavious Lovejoy, also 15. The two teens are expected to surrender to authorities on Sept. 13, according to the release.
Broder, of Washington, D.C., was outside the Capital City Club in Brookhaven waiting for an Uber ride following a wedding when the defendants robbed and shot him, according to Atlanta Police. Broder died several days later and left behind a wife and a young daughter.
Myrick was indicted for participation in criminal street gang activity, felony murder, murder, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit a felony, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by first offender on probation.
Fleetwood was indicted for participation in criminal street gang activity, felony murder, murder, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit a felony, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Lovejoy and Reeves both were indicted for participation in criminal street gang activity, felony murder, murder, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit a felony, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Myrick was previously convicted of armed robbery at age 14 and could have still been in state prison under a plea deal, according to media reports. However, Fulton Superior Court Judge Doris Downs chose to have him serve over two years in juvenile detention, followed by probation supervised by a private organization called Visions Unlimited, on the hope that he would be rehabilitated. Myrick reportedly was returned to detention for misbehavior, but then was to go back to Visions Unlimited. He did not show up again prior to his arrest in the Capital City crime.
Outrage surrounding the private probation system led state Rep. Beth Beskin (R-Atlanta) to say she will try to end the system with legislation at a packed Aug. 8 community meeting at the Lodge at Buckhead’s Peachtree Presbyterian Church.
The Aug. 8 meeting included two Fulton County prosecutors: Lauren McAuley, the deputy district attorney for the juvenile division, and Assistant District Attorney Brendan Daughtery, who prosecutes crimes in Buckhead.