Editor’s note: This story was updated June 2024
A man who was charged in a fatal shooting at Westside Park in April 2023 took a plea deal in May 2024.
Kameron Deal, 22, plead guilty to murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime in the death of 20-year-old Xavier Simmons, who was found shot in the parking lot of the park near the Birth of Atlanta sculpture. Deal was sentenced to life with parole.
“On your stomach!” officers yelled as they placed Deal in handcuffs at the entrance of a Circle K convenience store on Northside Drive, according to video released by Atlanta police when Deal was arrested days after the shooting.
Officers found Simmons dead around 9:40 p.m. April 19, 2023 after responding to a report of a person shot at the park in the 1600 block of Johnson Road. Deal was then identified as a suspect.
Two days later, officers got word around 3:30 p.m. that Deal was in the area of 548 Northside Drive, home to the convenience store and a gas station. Investigators gained access to the security footage of the location through Connect Atlanta, a network of more than 4,500 surveillance cameras from across the city, which showed the suspect in the parking lot, police said.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following video contains graphic language.
Deal was seen running through the gas station after officers arrived but stopped and put his hands in the air at the entrance of the store as they surrounded him, according to the footage.
Prior to running, police said he dropped a green backpack, which contained a black handgun. Deal was heard questioning where the gun came from in the footage, but an officer was seen pulling out a wallet from the backpack that allegedly contained his ID.
“Oh, Kameron Deal, we’ve been looking for you,” an officer stated while looking at the card.
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