Newspaper Page Text
LOCAL
THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15 -21. 2024 • PAGE 8
A man has been arrested after a drive-
and another injured. File photo
left one victim dead
Stone Mountain resident
suspected in drive-by
shooting arrested
BY CHRISTINE FONVILLE
CHRISTINE@DEKALBCHAMP.COM
A Stone Mountain man suspected of committing a drive-
by shooting that led to the death of one victim and injury to
another victim has been captured, according to officials with
the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office.
Officials stated that Stone Mountain resident Kaleb
Fisher, 20, was taken into custody on Dec. 8 at a residence
off Moury Avenue in Atlanta. The arrest was made by the
DeKalb County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Unit with assistance
from Georgia State Patrol SWAT.
Fisher is a suspect in a drive-by shooting that occurred
earlier this year. According to investigators, on June 26, the
drive-by shooting happened near the intersection of Wesley
Chapel Road and Snapfinger Woods Drive. Officials stated
that the shooting resulted in the death of one teen and in
jury of another teen at the scene; Demario Hollis was mur
dered and the shooting caused injury to Jerry Toney. Both
were 19 when the incident occurred.
Fisher was transported without incident to the DeKalb
County Jail, where he is being held without bond on felony
charges of murder and aggravated assault with a weapon.
Officials with the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office did not
provide information on whether the suspect and victims
knew each other or a motive for the shooting at press time.
"Drive-by shootings are a subset of more general gun
violence and are less common than incidents in which some
one approaches another on foot and fires at him or her,"
states a PDF published by the U.S. Department of Justice.
"In some situations, drive-by shootings are gang-related; in
others, they are the result of road rage between strangers or
personal disputes between neighbors and acquaintances."
For more information, visit dekalbsheriff.org.
THEATER
Continued From Page 7
ing on a play about money and the econo
my until I started listening to the podcast,"
Emert said. "That could be a fun challenge, I
thought—to develop a musical that teaches
kids about financial concepts and instills a
healthy relationship with money early on."
Emert said he and psychology professor
Bonnie Perdue have designed their study
to investigate the success of the musical in
conveying the key concepts about money to
the audience. He said they hypothesize that
arts engagement will have positive effects
on children's comprehension and that the
musical presentation of the information will
resonate differently and prove to be more
effective than a classroom lesson about the
same content.
A 2023 survey conducted by OnePoll.com
of 2,000 parents showed that 82 percent of
respondents think children should be taught
financial literacy and money management
skills in schools.
According to stateline.org, which provides
analysis on trends in state policy, Georgia
enacted a law requiring students to take a
course in financial literacy as a graduation
prerequisite. "This law will ensure that [stu
dents] learn financial literacy in our schools,
like the importance of good credit and how
to budget properly, so that they are better
prepared for the world beyond the class
room," stated Gov. Brian Kemp when he
signed the bill in 2022.
A world-premiere workshop production
of Million Bazillion: the Musical will open in
the Winter Theater on the campus of Agnes
Scott College, located at 141 E. College Ave.
in Decatur on Feb. 22 with an 11 a.m. perfor
mance specifically for local students. Addi
tional performances will be held on Feb. 23
at 7 p.m., on Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.,
and on Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.
Emert said the show will feature a series
of interrelated scenes in which four kids are
learning about money and singing songs such
as "Dollar Scholar." Each song in the show
heightens the information the characters—
and the audience—are being taught and aims
to inspire an ongoing curiosity to achieve fi
nancial literacy, according to a press release.
The play is free for Agnes Scott College
students, faculty, staff as well as children 12
and younger. Tickets are $8 for the general
public. For more information, visit agness-
cott.edu.
SHOOTER
Continued From Page 7
learned that Evans had been involved in a
tumultuous relationship with a woman who
lived a half a mile from the crash, stated in
vestigators.
"The woman had a protective order
against Evans and told police that she heard
an 'aggressive' knock at the door of her
home around 10 a.m.," said investigators.
"She then noticed she had several missed
calls and text messages from Evans. He left
without incident but returned in the early af
ternoon. The woman said she saw Evans out
side her house and called Defendant Bracey,
who had been at the home that morning and
left with their daughter. The woman asked
Bracey to come back to the house because
she was scared and had left her gun in his
car."
When the woman, who was not named
by investigators, called Bracey again, he told
her that he had shot at Evans but did not
believe he had hit him, said officials.
"Bracey claimed he shot at Evans because
Evans had rolled down his window as their
cars crossed paths on the road," said inves
tigators. "The woman told investigators she
argued with Bracey about opening fire with
their daughter in the car and that she had
not seen him or heard from him since."
Law enforcement officials said they ar
rested Bracey in North Carolina on March 10,
2021. He was then extradited to Georgia and
booked into the DeKalb County Jail.
Immediately following the guilty verdicts,
DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Shon-
deana Morris, who presided over the trial,
sentenced Bracey to life without parole plus
15 years to serve in confinement. Bracey is
already serving a sentence of life without
parole plus five years for a fatal shooting in
Cobb County in January 2021 and his DeKalb
County sentence will run consecutively to
the Cobb County sentence, stated officials.
The case, assigned to the Homicide and
Gangs Unit, was prosecuted by Senior As
sistant District Attorney Kara Roberts with
assistance from Chief Senior Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Josh Geller, District Attorney
Investigator J.B. Williams, and Victim Advo
cate Jozlyn Varnedoe. DeKalb County Police
Department Detective Kelley Hoyt led the
initial investigation.
FARM
Continued From Page 3
for fresh fruits, vegetables, pickled
okra, honey, organic salad dressings,
eggs, jams and preserves to be sold
onsite in a country store managed
and led by Youth Farm participants,
stated officials.
"We are seeking youth to apply
for the internship that are interested
in decision-making and problem-solv
ing while learning about basic entre
preneur-related concepts," stated
E.M.B.A.R.C. Youth Farm officials.
Requirements for those applying
include:
• An interest in farming and develop
ing agricultural skills
• Ability to work independently and
collaboratively
• Enrolled in a DeKalb County high
school during the 2023-2024 school
year
• Must be a DeKalb County resident
• Must be between the ages of 15
and 18
The program begins on March
8 and the deadline to apply for the
internship is Feb. 23 at 5 p.m., stated
officials.
For more information and to ap
ply, visit https://www.embarcyouth-
farm.org/ or contact Kristen Wim
berly with the DeKalb County Office
of Youth Services at 470-543-0761 or
by emailing kwimberly@dekalbcoun-
tyga.gov.