Four charged in shooting of 15-year-old Austin Payne
Austin Payne called his mother on Halloween night to tell her he had been shot, WJCL reported.
By the following morning, the 15-year-old was found dead inside an abandoned apartment in Albany, Georgia. Within days of the discovery, authorities arrested four individuals in connection with his death, according to Albany police.
The suspects identified by police include 15-year-old Jansquincey Donaldson, 15-year-old Omari Marion, 16-year-old Adarious Wallace, and 22-year-old Detravion Parker. All four were taken into custody and booked into the Dougherty County Jail, police said.
A timeline of Halloween night
Investigators used surveillance footage and phone records to reconstruct the events of October 31. According to a report cited by WALB, surveillance video captured six people walking toward the apartment on Cameo Lane around 7:35 p.m.
About 20 minutes later, footage showed a person wearing shorts and a hoodie jumping out of a window at the building, WECT reported. At approximately 8:03 p.m., Payne placed a call to his mother stating he had been shot and needed help, according to phone records cited in the police report.
Payne’s mother told officers she initially believed he was joking due to past remarks, but her concern grew when she could no longer reach him after her work shift ended, WALB reported.
On Sunday morning, she used phone tracking technology to locate him at the abandoned apartment. Upon entering the building, she found him unresponsive on the floor, according to WECT.
Armed group targets Payne for handgun during robbery
Witnesses told investigators they were walking with Payne along a path between Sands Drive and Cameo Lane when they were approached by a group of armed individuals, WALB reported.
These witnesses stated the group demanded their property and fired shots. According to the station, witnesses suggested the attackers may have targeted Payne specifically to rob him of a handgun he had recently displayed on social media.
During their canvas of the scene, investigators recovered seven 9 mm shell casings along the trail, according to WALB. While the arrests have been made, Albany police have not officially identified a motive or confirmed if the four charged individuals are the same people described by the witnesses.
Remembering Austin Payne
Austin Payne was scheduled to turn 16 on November 12, WJCL reported. His obituary noted that he enjoyed fishing, hunting, and riding four-wheelers.
He also worked on a plantation, where he spent time riding a tractor and fixing things, according to WJCL.
A memorial service for Payne was held on November 6 at Hall & Hall Funeral Home in Albany. To assist with funeral expenses, his cousin Savannah Rogers organized a GoFundMe fundraiser, which had raised $2,110 toward a $2,600 goal as of November 9.
The Albany Police Department said the investigation into the shooting continues.
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