An Atlanta man shot his stepson to death after the teen left home during the city’s coronavirus stay-at-home order. Bernie Hargrove, 42, was arrested Wednesday in the shooting death of 16-year-old De’onte Roberts, 16, after a quarantine fight at the family home in Georgia.
The mother of the victim told the police that she and Hargrove had an argument with Roberts earlier Wednesday when he snubbed their “orders to remain in the home.”
“Later, the victim returned to the home and kicked in the door to the house where a physical fight began between the suspect and the victim,” Officer Steve Avery said in a statement to The Post. “During that altercation, the victim was shot.”
Hargrove shot his stepson several times after Roberts knocked down the front door of their home and punched his stepdad in the face, police said. Roberts, who was hit in the chest, later died at a hospital.
The teen’s younger sibling was inside the home at the time of the incident, according to reports.
Hargrove was questioned by investigators overnight before being booked into Fulton County Jail early Thursday, said The Post. His next court appearance is yet to be confirmed.
Atlanta police are also urging people to remain calm during the pandemic.
Hargrove’s arrest comes as Georgia mayors raise alarm by Governor Brian Kemp’s decision to reopen the economy this week amid the pandemic.
Kemp said Monday that businesses including hair salons, bowling alleys, and tattoo studios would be allowed to reopen on Friday. Restaurants and cinemas would be able to reopen from Monday while church services could also resume with social distancing measures, he said.
But many are against his decision, as polls suggest more Americans want to keep sheltering in place and worried that lifting restrictions too fast could worsen the outbreak.
