CLASSIC CITY NEWS

Damian Swint By Joe Johnson One person was arrested Sunday morning following a reported gunfight outside a popular downtown Athens nightspot. No injuries were reported and it appears that several businesses were struck by gunfire, including Bad Moon Bar on East Clayton Street. “Officers did respond to reports of a shooting in the area of Bad Moon on E. Clayton St.,” a police spokesperson confirmed in a Sunday night email. “There were no reports of anyone being struck by gunfi

By Joe Johnson At least one arrest has been made in connection with a purported early morning gunfight in downtown Athens. No injuries have been reported and it appears that businesses were struck by gunfire, including Bad Moon Bar on East Clayton Street. “Officers did respond to reports of a shooting in the area of Bad Moon on E. Clayton St.,” a police spokesperson said in a Sunday night email. “There were no reports of anyone being struck by gunfire however, several busines

By Joe Johnson Recently filed court documents describe the cold-blooded behavior of a man accused of murdering two people in downtown Athens three months ago. According to a homicide detective’s sworn affidavit, early in the morning of March 14th Mark Anthony Desousa walked up to Dylan Bentley in a parking lot lot off North Jackson Street and shot him in the back of his head. The bullet passed through the victim and struck Christopher Skinner in the eye. DeSousa then shot a

By Joe Johnson A Superior Court judge this week denied a request for bail by a man who killed two people and injured a third in downtown Athens Following a hearing on Wednesday, Judge H. Patrick Haggard denied bail to 22-year old Mark Anthony DeSousa on grounds that he was a flight risk and posed a significant danger to the community. In custody since March, DeSousa is facing murder charges for fatally shooting Dylan Bentley and Clayton Adams in a parking lot off North Jackso

By Joe Johnson An Athens-Clarke County grand jury this week returned a 10-count indictment against a man accused of murdering two people and injuring a third during a shooting in downtown Athens last March. Mark Anthony Desousa, 22, of Jefferson, was charged with two counts each of malice and felony murder, and three counts each of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm in the commission of a crime, according to the indictment filed in Superior Court on Tuesday. DeSou

By Joe Johnson An attorney representing a man accused of murdering two people in downtown Athens has filed a motion that seeks to have his client released from jail on bail. Mark Anthony DeSousa is facing murder charges for fatally shooting Dylan Bentley and Clayton Adams last March in a parking lot off North Jackson Street. A third victim, Landon Skinner, survived being shot in the face. According to court filings, Bentley was killed execution style when Desousa walked up fr

By Joe Johnson Julio Cesar Hernandez, 56, of Cherokee Road in Winterville, was arrested early the morning of May 10th after he reportedly stabbed another man outside of Tropical Bar on West Clayton Street, According to police, he stabbed 21-year-old Nelson Gomez of Smokey Road during a brawl between two groups of men outside the bar and tried several times to shoot another man but his gun failed to fire. Hernandez fled the scene but was arrested shortly afterwards after poli

Mrs, G, a local rideshare driver for Uber and Lyft was on North Thomas Street when she took remarkable photos of a group of green creatures casually strolling past the News Building that formerly housed the Athens Banner-Herald.

By Joe Johnson Timothy Lamiron Solomon, 21, of Macon, was arrested early in the morning of April 19th after he reportedly pulled a gun during an incident outside of a bar on East Clayton Street. The arrest was made after police saw a large crowd running from the area of Bad Moon Bar, with people yelling about someone pulling a gun, Responding officers saw someone putting a gun back into his pocket and they detained him. Meanwhile other officers arrested Solomon on Jackson Str

By Joe Johnson Kevin Moreno-Cortes, 22, of West Broad Street, was arrested on the evening of March 12th after his truck struck two pedestrians in downtown Athens and he drove away. The incident happened just before 6 pm at the intersection of Pulaski and West Broad streets where a pair of 22-year-old students were crossing the street in a marked crosswalk when they were struck by Moreno-Cortes’s pickup truck. Police said that the driver left the scene without checking on th

Desousa By Joe Johnson In the early morning hours of March 14th, Mark Anthony DeSousa shot and critically injured a friend of his and killed two other young men in a parking lot off North Jackson Street in downtown Athens. Authorities have not released a motive for his actions, but arrest warrants filed in Superior Court describe the deliberate manner in which the 22-year-.old Jefferson man gunned down his victims. Desousa killed Dylan Bentley “by walking up to him and shoot

Dylan Bentley The following was released Sunday evening by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department On March 15, 2026, a second victim, Dylan Bentley, a 19-year-old male of Jefferson, GA, succumbed to his injuries. The third victim remains in critical condition at this time. This is an active investigation. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Detective Johnson at Paul.Johnson@accgov.com or 762-400-7060. Press Release UPDATE 2026-03140035 M

Dylan Bentley The following was released Sunday evening by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department: On March 15, 2026, a second victim, Dylan Bentley, a 19-year-old male of Jefferson, GA, succumbed to his injuries. The third victim remains in critical condition at this time. This is an active investigation. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Detective Johnson at Paul.Johnson@accgov.com or 762-400-7060. Press Release UPDATE 2026-03140035

The following was released Sunday evening by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department: On March 15, 2026, a second victim, Dylan Bentley, a 19-year-old male of Jefferson, GA, succumbed to his injuries. The third victim remains in critical condition at this time. This is an active investigation. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Detective Johnson at Paul.Johnson@accgov.com or 762-400-7060. Press Release UPDATE 2026-03140035 March 14, 2026

Desousa By Joe Johnson A suspect has been charged with murder in connection with a triple shooting in downtown Athens early Saturday morning. Mark Anthony Desousa, 22, of Jefferson was charged with malice murder for fatally shooting Clayton Adams, a 22-year-old employee of Bad Moon Bar on East Clayton Street. Adams and the other victims were reportedly gunned down at about 2:20 am in a parking lot near Bad Moon off North Jackson Street. Friends told Classic City News that a

By Joe Johnson A suspect has been charged with murder in connection with a triple shooting in downtown Athens early Saturday morning. Mark Desousa, 22, of Jefferson was charged with malice murder for fatally shooting Clayton Adams, a 22-year-old employee of Bad Moon Bar on East Clayton Street. Adams and the other victims were reportedly gunned down at about 2:20 am in a parking lot near Bad Moon off North Jackson Street. Friends told Classic City News that a second victim l

By Joe Johnson A shooting in downtown Athens early Saturday morning left one person dead and two others hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The incident happened at about 2:20 am in a parking lot in the 400 block of North Jackson Street, according to Athens-Clarke County Police spokesperson Lt. Katie Jenkins. She identified the victim who was killed as 22-year-old Clayton Adams of Hull. No arrests have been made.

By Joe Johnson Sharon Dashun Warren was arrested for DUI last week after her car crashed into a light pole in the city’s Normaltown neighborhood, The 50-year-old Atlanta resident told police that she had just left McDonald’s after having finished her weekly performance at Boar’s Head Lounge, She admitted to having two martinis while at the downtown nightclub. The crash happened at around 3 am Thursday at the corner of Prince and Nacoochee avenues, where her 2017 Mercedes-Benz

By Joe Johnson The University of Georgia Police Department has issued the following community notification: February 28, 2026 3:55 a.m. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is currently investigating a Rape incident that occurred at approximately 1:25 a.m. in the area of 520 North Thomas Street. The victim reported that while in the area of 510 North Thomas Street she was approached by an unknown male who offered to walk her to her residence. The victim reported that

By Joe Johnson Andrea Renee Russo, 37, of Pensacola, Fla, was arrested for fighting in downtown Athens early in the morning of February 15th. Officer Clay Cochran reported that he was patrolling the area at around 2:30 am when he noticed a commotion inside the courthouse parking garage on East Washington Street, where a group of people were trying to separate Russo and the other combatant. While trying to sort out the situation, the officer learned that Russo had instigated