DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — One man is dead after a dispute over song lyrics led to a shooting.
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It all began on February 19, 2022, when Avery Antonio Hammond, 39, and his wife hosted a gathering at their home on Shawn Wayne Court in Atlanta for an evening of drinks and making music.
As the night turned into the early morning, deputies said Hammond had a disagreement with one of the guests, Lexington Cooper, 29, over lyrics Hammond found offensive.
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According to the sheriff’s office, Cooper had attended the gathering with his cousin, Virdie Dill, who is related to Hammond by marriage.
As Cooper and Dill left the townhome, Hammond and his wife reportedly followed them out.
This is when deputies said Hammond opened fire, shooting Cooper in the back multiple times. Dill grabbed a gun from his car, ran for cover and shot back at Hammond, according to officials.
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Hammond reportedly shot at Dill and Hammond hit his own wife in the shoulder. When officers arrived, they found Cooper outside the home. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Oct. 13, a DeKalb County jury returned guilty verdicts against Hammond on charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a fire offender probationer and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
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