A high school in Athens is bolstering its security as authorities search for two former students accused in the shooting death of a 3-year-old boy over the weekend, officials said.
Jayden Brown, 16, and Dakious Echols, 18, two former Cedar Shoals High School students, face murder charges in connection with the death of 3-year-old Kyron Zarco, who was fatally shot Friday night while watching television inside his Athens home. A third suspect, 17-year-old Julian Cubillos, was arrested about an hour after the shooting, which also injured Zarco’s 9-year-old brother.
On Sunday, Cedar Shoals Principal Antonio Derricotte announced that the school would increase its security until the suspects are taken into custody.
“These measures include an increased presence from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Clarke County School District Police Department, and district office support staff,” Derricotte wrote in a letter to students’ families. “Although mentors, volunteers, and other regular visitors will continue to be welcomed on campus, we will employ a more rigorous screening of other campus visitors during this time. Further, please remember we do not allow food deliveries to campus at any time.”
Athens-Clarke County police responded around 5:30 p.m. Friday to the shooting at Hallmark Mobile Home Park on Spring Valley Road, about five miles northeast of Oconee Forest Park. When officers arrived at the residence, they found Zarco dead inside. His older brother, a student at Howard B. Stroud Elementary in Athens, was also struck and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
About an hour after the gunfire, Cubillos, of Lawrenceville, was arrested with assistance from Jackson County deputies and the GBI, police said. Cubillos was charged with felony murder, malice murder, four counts of aggravated assault and violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. He is being held without bond, online records showed.
Following an investigation, arrest warrants were obtained for Brown and Echols. Police said they are both from Athens and face the same charges as Cubillos.
Athens police Chief Jerry Saulters said his department would “dedicate our full strength and resources to bring the killers to justice.”
“I am sickened by this heinous crime, and my heart aches for the grieving family, friends and loved ones who are suffering such a tragic loss,” he said. A GoFundMe page created to help the family with financial expenses had raised more than $20,000 as of Monday afternoon.
The shooting also shook the local community, Derricotte said, with many students at Cedar Shoals needing help to process what happened. He said there would be extra counselors and social workers available on campus.
Anyone with more information is asked to contact Athens police at 762-400-7060. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-TIPS (8477), or on the website. Tipsters do not have to give their name or any identifying information to be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
— AJC staff writer Fletcher Page contributed to this story
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