The death of a 24-year-old man at an apartment complex where students live near Georgia State University was ruled a homicide Tuesday, authorities said.
The autopsy by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that Deionte “JR” Davis’ death was due to “compression of the chest,” Channel 2 Action News reported.
He got into a fight with a One12 Courtland security guard Sunday morning, Atlanta police previously said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, an arrest had not been made in the case, according to police. They said it’s an ongoing investigation.
Ronald Myers, a GSU student, told Channel 2 on Monday that he and Davis were among a group of four friends who had been drinking at a birthday party earlier that morning. They were returning to Myers’ apartment at 112 Courtland Street, which is right off campus and advertised to GSU students.
Related: Cops: Man dies after fight with security in apartment near GSU campus
As they walked into an elevator, the group began to bicker among themselves, Myers said.
“It was a minor argument among friends that was between us, and it was handled between us,” Myers told the news station.
The security guard for the apartment complex overhead the commotion and followed them onto an elevator, he said. The group began to argue with the security guard, and Myers said Davis was attacked.
“When we got off the elevator, JR walked out of the elevator (by) himself, and (the security guard) still tackled JR,” Myers told Channel 2.
Myers said his girlfriend took video of the incident, which appears to show the security guard hold Davis down while another one of their friends tries to lift him. He told the news station the security guard snapped Davis’ neck, but the autopsy did not reveal any neck injuries.
Police said Davis was knocked unconscious during the fight. The security guard and Myers began to perform CPR until Davis was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he died. Investigators said Davis and his friends had been drinking heavily.
The apartment complex’s property management company, Asset Living, has not returned AJC.com’s calls requesting a comment on this investigation and an update on the security guard’s employment.
After the autopsy results were released, Davis' mother told Channel 2 she trusts police will do their due diligence. She has created a GoFundMe page to raise money for her son's funeral costs.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
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