NEWTON COUNTY – The Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) arrested a second suspect this morning in connection to the fatal shooting at Denny Dobbs Park last Wednesday.
According to a release from the NCSO, 17-year-old Rockdale County High School* student Tashshawn Lyons was arrested Monday morning. His charges include murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a person under the age of 18 and reckless conduct.
Lyons was hospitalized after Wednesday’s incident. He reportedly sustained injuries while fleeing Denny Dobbs Park, though the magnitude and specificity of his injuries has not been released.
Lyons is currently being held in the Newton County Detention Center.
NCSO investigators also determined that Justin Etienne, the 18-year-old Salem High School student who died after sustaining gunshot wounds, was not directly involved in the altercation. Etienne was a bystander during the shooting.
The NCSO reportedly received several false and conflicting statements from students who witnessed the events Wednesday afternoon. It was not originally believed that Etienne was a bystander in the incident, as one of the false statements claimed he was involved.
But, according to the press release, the NCSO has since discerned what statements were false and determined that Etienne was not involved.
Lyons is the second suspect arrested in connection to the homicide investigation. Last Friday, 16-year-old Jarvis Hinton Jr, a Newton High School student, was arrested and faces similar charges to Lyons’.
The homicide took place on Wednesday around 5 p.m. at Denny Dobbs Park in Newton County. Both Lyons and Etienne are from Conyers, in Rockdale County, but had engaged in a ‘Senior Skip Day’ alongside many other local students.
The specific events that led to the shooting remain unclear. NCSO Communications Officer Caitlin Jett has confirmed to The Covington News that the investigation remains active.
*A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Lyons was a student at Salem High School. This was incorrect; he is a student at Rockdale County High School.
