Archived News

A man was shot and killed at a south DeKalb drive-in theater early Tuesday morning, May 15, and another was killed on Memorial Drive minutes later when he was hit by a DeKalb County Police officer responding to the crime, police said.

According to DeKalb Police spokeswoman Mekka Parish, a man at the Starlight Drive-in on Moreland Avenue who apparently was having car trouble was shot after asking someone for help. Mitt Lenix, 28, was shot and died at an area hospital. Police identified Quentric S. Williams as the shooter.

Williams left the drive-in following the shooting.  A witness called 911 and followed the suspect’s car until police were able to get behind the vehicle, Parish said. Police chased Williams on I-285 and into Gwinnett County. Williams wrecked his car on Lilburn Stone Mountain Road and managed to run away from police officers. A female passenger was detained by police and a lookout alert has been issued for Williams.

Meanwhile, a police cruiser driven by DeKalb Police officer Jason Cooper struck a pedestrian on Memorial Drive who was crossing the street outside of a crosswalk, police said. Clinton Hightower, 27, died on the scene, according to police.

The investigation into the accident is ongoing and detectives are trying to determine if Cooper’s lights and siren were activated at the time the pedestrian was struck. Investigators also are trying to find out how fast Cooper was traveling. Early indications are that the officer did have his lights activated, according to Parish.

Cooper was placed on administrative leave on May 15.