A Clayton County man was arrested early Friday morning on multiple charges related to shooting at two different gas stations. During his arrest, the man said “this is a hate crime and this is a targeted hit,” according to police.
Larry Edward Foxworth, 47, of Jonesboro, was charged with making terroristic threats, obstructing law enforcement officers, open container and improper lane change, online jail records show. He was booked into the Clayton County Jail, where he remains without bond.
No one was injured in either shooting, police said.
According to the initial investigation, officers responded to the 6000 block of Tara Boulevard following reports of gunshots and criminal damage to property. When officers arrived, they heard another gunshot nearby on Mt. Zion Road, Clayton police said in a news release.
Multiple officers went to the second location where they heard gunshots, police said. There, they saw a 2016 Ford Fusion weaving in the road. The officers performed a traffic stop and made contact with Foxworth. During the stop, officers saw an open container and a bag of ammunition, including spent shell casings that were easily visible in the car, the news release said.
As Foxworth was taken into custody, he said, “I can give you a name and we can make this disappear,” according to Clayton police. Foxworth followed that statement with his line about the hate crime and targeted hit.
Clayton police said that during interviews after Foxworth’s arrest, he admitted to shooting at both locations because he did not like the race of the people working there. Foxworth also told detectives that he shot at the second location by mistake, according to police.
In June 2020, Georgia passed a new hate crime bill that was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp. The bill allows for enhanced criminal penalties for certain crimes against people targeted on the basis of their race, gender, sexual orientation, sex, national origin, religion, or physical or mental disability.
Police cannot charge someone with a hate crime; it is a sentencing enhancement that must be proven in court.
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