Sleeping 11-year-old was killed by stray bullet, GA cops say. Man arrested month later
A man is in custody nearly a month after being accused of shooting and killing an 11-year-old girl, Georgia deputies said.
On March 14, a vehicle was ambushed in what deputies believe was a gang-related attack, according to a March 23 news release from the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office.
Inside the vehicle was a man and a 3-year-old, but as shots were fired toward the vehicle, they all missed their target, deputies said.
Instead, the bullets went through the bedroom window of 11-year-old Asijah Jones in a nearby apartment. She was asleep in her bed next to her sister, according to an April 12 news release from the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office.
The bullets hit Jones, killing her, deputies said.
“There were so many bullets, but only she was hit,” Jones’ younger sister told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I just heard her scream.”
Jones’ sister said it was not the first shooting in their complex, and she was having nightmares, FOX5 reported.
A 22-year-old man, Kionta Parks, was a known person of interest in the shooting, and deputies said he was a “self-professed, well-known and documented criminal street gang member.”
Parks was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, cruelty to children, possession of a firearm during commission of a crime, violation of Georgia Criminal Street Gang Terrorism Act and Violation of the Georgia Domestic Terrorism Statute, officials said.
Deputies also said Parks had warrants out for another shooting that deputies were “able to tie to him while conducting this investigation,” according to the March 23 news release.
As the Jones family mourned, Parks went on the run.
Deputies said they believed Parks had changed his hair and taken “other steps to change his appearance.” They said Parks was likely no longer in the area.
“At this point he has made the conscious decision to run,” deputies said. “Running isn’t going to help him, and it’s just a matter of time before he is caught. Her blood on his hands isn’t going away, and neither are we.”
Deputies and other law enforcement agencies looked for weeks, but Parks was nowhere to be found.
Then, on April 11, deputies received information from Griffin Police that zeroed in on Parks’ location, according to the April 12 news release.
Parks was spotted by surveillance teams as the passenger in a vehicle, pulling into a gas station, deputies said. He had dyed his hair.
Parks was taken into custody, and the driver of the vehicle was charged with hindering the apprehension or punishment of a fugitive, according to the release.
Deputies said “she knew that Parks was wanted for the child’s murder but chose to help him anyway. That’s why she went to jail, and anyone else we can find that helped him, housed him, or hid him will go to jail too.”
Spalding County is about 40 miles south of Atlanta.
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