Photo courtesy of the Griffin Police Department
SHEILA A. MATHEWS :::
The Griffin Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshal Service, on Friday morning executed a search warrant at 105 Forrestwood Drive, resulting in the arrest of 21-year-old Octavious Montrell Lyons in connection with Saturday, May 9 shooting death of a 12-year-old boy.
The victim in that shooting was playing on a trampoline when he was shot by his five-year-old brother. Authorities say the younger boy found the handgun, which he thought was a toy, after it was allegedly discarded during a foot pursuit involving GPD officers earlier that day.
Officials say the pursuit followed an attempted traffic stop that resulted in individuals reportedly fleeing behind houses in close proximity to the shooting.
Officers of the Uniform Patrol Division at the time of the pursuit located a bag of suspected MDMA, but the gun was not found.
Later Saturday night, investigators located the driver of the vehicle officers had earlier attempted to stop. According to Griffin Police Chief Mike Yates, the driver provided information that proved to be crucial to Lyons’ arrest.
“We began this investigation after that and went through a number of witnesses and a very intensive investigation to identify the person responsible for it,” Yates said during a Friday morning press conference. “At the conclusion of our investigative activities as of yesterday, we obtained warrants for methamphetamine possession, weapons possession and also Georgia Gang Act charges against Octavious Montrell Lyons, the 21-year-old that was responsible for abandoning this particular firearm.”
Investigators say the firearm was tracked through possession of multiple parties, but it was ultimately determined Lyons discarded the weapon during the foot pursuit.
Lyons faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, possession of MDMA, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, obstruction of a law enforcement officer, abandonment of a dangerous drug, reckless conduct and three counts of violating Georgia’s Criminal Street Gang Act.
Yates said numerous weapons, ammunition and drugs were located during the Friday morning search warrant and additional charges are likely.
Griffin Judicial Circuit Acting District Attorney Marie Broder said now that an arrest has been made, she intends to prosecute Lyons and seek justice for the young victim, his family and the community.
“As the Chief said, this act devastated not just a family, but a community. This child had so much promise, so much life to live and so much light and that light was extinguished. Now it is time for us to make sure that those that played a part in extinguishing that light are brought to justice,” Broder said. “In solving this case, we saw a community come together and work with us – my office, the Police Department and the community together. It shows you what teamwork can do. Now it is time for this fight to continue in the courtroom and rest assured, my office will continue to fight for this child. That is what we do during the prosecution of cases – fight – and we will fight for this child and all children in this community because no child should jump on a trampoline and fear they will be shot.”
Yates also addressed those involved in narcotic and gang activity in the city.
“I want to send a very clear message right now that the drug activity and the gang activity that gave rise to this, we are highly motivated to put an end to it and if you’re engaged in that kind of behavior here in Griffin, you’d better stop, you’d better go somewhere else or we’re going to do everything we can to send you to prison for the rest of your life,” he said.
Investigators say Lyons is a member of the Crips street gang.
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