Two high school basketball players arrested in connection to man’s death, GA cops say
Two high school athletes — including a Division I college basketball recruit — were arrested in connection to a Georgia man’s death, officials said.
The Alpharetta Police Department “identified the two Milton High School student athletes as the perpetrators” after an investigation that spanned one month, according to a Facebook post from Wednesday, Nov. 17.
The teen basketball players were arrested in connection to the case of Connor Mediate, who police said was robbed and killed in the Atlanta area in mid-October. The 24-year-old was found shot dead in an Alpharetta parking deck, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
In his obituary, Mediate is remembered for his smile and love of fishing and cars.
“Connor uniquely combined an independent spirit and strong will with kind heartedness and warmth that made him an infectious personality,” the Northside Chapel Funeral Directors and Crematory website said.
Now, news outlets report one of the students charged in connection with his death was a 17-year-old who recently signed to play basketball at George Mason University in Virginia. The college in an email said the teen “can no longer be considered for admission” into its program.
“We are devastated that a young person in Georgia lost his life and we send our heartfelt condolences to his family,” George Mason athletics said in its written statement. “We take these matters with the utmost level of seriousness.”
McClatchy News isn’t identifying the 17-year-old due to his age. The other teen arrested in the case was 18-year-old Jonathan Murray, and police in a news release didn’t list an attorney for him.
The 17-year-old is accused of planning to meet Mediate outside an apartment to buy drugs, and officials said cellphone records showed Murray was with the other teen before and after the shooting, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
A SWAT team reportedly captured the two teens after they played their first high school basketball home game of the season on Nov. 17. They were taken to the Fulton County jail “on charges of criminal attempt to commit armed robbery and murder,” according to The Washington Post and WAGA.
Officers say the case is still under investigation and urge anyone with information to call them at 678-297-6307. When reached by McClatchy News on Nov. 19, the Alpharetta Police Department didn’t share additional details, and the Fulton County school district had no statement about the off-campus accusations.
This story was originally published November 19, 2021 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Two high school basketball players arrested in connection to man’s death, GA cops say."
