DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A father who witnessed the murder of a high school senior got emotional after learning his neighbor -- a 15-year-old freshman -- is accused of pulling the trigger.
Channel 2's Michael Seiden learned investigators believe it all stemmed from a fight earlier in the week.
That fight broke out at Stephenson High School on Wednesday afternoon. Police say some of teens involved in the fight took it way too far and one teen is now charged with murder.
“It’s just nuts,” said Michael Wayland as he wiped away tears after learning his neighbor has been charged with murder.
DeKalb County detectives arrested the teen Thursday after he allegedly shot and killed one of his own schoolmates, 18-year-old Phildarious Parrish.
“My friend was really trying to better his self and graduate high school for his family and prove everyone wrong.” - That’s how a good friend of the victim described his buddy. pic.twitter.com/y0Po520wxm
— Michael Seiden (@SeidenWSBTV) March 1, 2019
The teens’ friends told Seiden that the senior planned on graduating this spring.
“I have a 17-year-old, and it could’ve easily been him,” Wayland said.
He told Seiden he was locking his front door around noon Thursday when he heard the shots.
“When I heard the gun go off, I turned around, and the father yelled at the boy, ‘What the F are you doing?'” Wayland said.
The Stone Mountain man said he saw at least six guys outside his neighbor’s home, but he had no idea someone had been shot until he saw the story on the news.
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“It was a scene out of a movie, maybe. You know what I mean? Just unbelievable,” Wayland told Seiden.
Late Thursday night, police confirmed that 24 hours before the deadly shooting the suspected shooter and his victim were involved in a fight outside Stephenson High School.
The following day, the high school senior and two other students showed up at the 15-year-old’s home, looking for a fight. Instead, bullets started flying.
The victim’s friends drove him to another friend’s house. He later died at the hospital.
Grief counselors spent the day at Stephenson High, comforting the students, while the exact motive behind the shooting remains under investigation.
The school district released a statement regarding the shooting, saying:
“Yesterday, a 12th grade student at Stephenson High School was shot and killed by a 9th grade student, also from Stephenson HS, at the 9th grade student's home. This follows an altercation that took place yesterday in the bus lane at the school involving approximately 4 to 5 boys. DeKalb County School District Public Safety and DeKalb County Police are investigating this matter. A crisis team will be at the school in the morning to provide support to students and staff.”
The Police Department is urging anyone with information on this case to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.
Cox Media Group
