Family and friends of Bradley Coleman packed a Gwinnett County courtroom Wednesday to get a look at one of the men accused of killing the former football coach and young father at a Peachtree Corners gas station two months ago.
The 29-year-old was gunned down at a QuikTrip at Peachtree Parkway and Peachtree Corners Circle while putting air in his car’s tires the afternoon of July 10, Gwinnett police previously said. Three suspects were attempting to steal his Dodge Charger, authorities confirmed, and when he fought back, one of them shot him and took off.
Coleman, who lived in Louisiana but was back in town visiting his young daughter, died at the scene.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
The suspected getaway driver, 20-year-old Miles Collins, faced a judge Wednesday as scores of Coleman’s supporters looked on. Collins and David Booker, 20, are both charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. A third suspect has not been identified.
Several of those in the courtroom wore red T-shirts with Coleman’s photo on them, hoping to send a message. District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson was also in attendance for the high-profile hearing, Channel 2 Action News reported.
“We’re going to be here for every court appearance,” Coleman’s cousin, Don Expose, told the news station, “whatever is going on.”
A Gwinnett detective testified that Flock cameras helped police track the suspects. Authorities were able to obtain the license plate number of their Mercedes-Benz and linked that to a rental agreement. Police were able to make contact with the man who rented the car and said he confirmed that Collins and Booker returned it about 90 minutes after the fatal shooting.
The detective said once they obtained video from the gas station, the suspects could be seen “looking for cars to steal. For several hours, they were repeatedly driving through.”
Credit: Gwinnett County Police Department
Credit: Gwinnett County Police Department
After targeting Coleman’s car, one of the suspects climbed into his driver’s seat, police said. Coleman got in on the passenger side and tried to stop the theft before a second suspect got out of the black Mercedes and got involved in the fight.
At that point, police said the suspects exited the car and one of them fired at Coleman, killing him.
The detective testified that Collins’ cellphone also placed him in “close proximity” to the QT at the time of the shooting. He will remain in the Gwinnett jail without bond, Channel 2 reported.
Coleman, a Norcross High School graduate who went on to play college football at Southern University, later coached at Peachtree Ridge High School. A GoFundMe account set up to raise money for his daughter has collected more than $120,000.
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