Omarian Banks, 19, was shot and killed around midnight on March 29 after mistakenly knocking on the wrong door of his Atlanta apartment complex.
According to local news station WSB-TV, Banks and his girlfriend,
Police say 19 year old Omarian Banks was shot and killed after he accidentally went to the wrong apartment door in his complex in SW Atlanta. I just spoke with the Medical Examiners office who told me his family has been notified. pic.twitter.com/hCRINGf76E
— Lauren Pozen (@LaurenPozenWSB) March 29, 2019
Authorities said the 19-year-old was dropped
He reportedly knocked on the door and turned away after realizing his mistake. However, Darryl Bynes, 32, who lived in the apartment, grabbed his gun and confronted Banks from his balcony.
32 year old Darryl Bynes pic.twitter.com/5PTwNYaccU
— Lauren Pozen (@LaurenPozenWSB) March 29, 2019
After a brief back and forth, the 32-year-old shot the teen. Mathis said she went out to see what was happening after Banks didn’t appear at their door.
“I just hear
Banks was pronounced dead at the scene after a gunshot wound to his neck. Bynes was immediately arrested and allegedly told authorities he shot the teen in self-defense. The 32-year-old is charged with murder.
Bynes’ family does not agree with the murder charge. His cousin, Makayla Johnson, told a local reporter, “He is an innocent father. He has five kids. He was protecting his family. His truck was stolen earlier this week; right now, he’s just trying to protect his family.”
Lisa Johnson, Banks’ mother, told reporter Michael Seiden that her son had just gotten a new job and was an aspiring rapper.
“I’m having a hard time understanding that someone could be that mean and hurt a child,” Johnson said. “Stop and think before you pull the trigger.”
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Christina Santi is a news and culture writer for EBONY.com. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, she considers herself a well-read, not so traditional feminist with a heavy interest in music, fashion and pop culture. Christina currently lives in New York City, where she refers to her Cuban & Jamaican descent often while writing about her experiences as a first-generation Afro-Latinx in America. She also devotes time writing personalized reading material for her tutees and turning ideas into words for streetwear brand, PUER By Noel Bronson.