Murder indictment for Athens poultry plant triple shooting

By Joe Johnson

An Athens man has been indicted for murder in connection with a triple shooting in which a teenage boy was killed and two other victims were wounded.

Jakel Javaunte Arnold, 23, of Mandy Drive, was charged with malice and felony murder, and four counts each of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, according to the indictment filed in Superior Court last month.

The shooting happened on May 8th outside the Pilgrims Pride poultry processing plant off Barber Street where one of the victims worked.

Deandre Grisson, 17, and his brotherJamarcus, 19, had driven to the plant with a friend to pick up their sister, 18-year-old Jamya.

After the young woman joined her brothers in their car they were approached by Arnold, who arrived in a separate vehicle with a cousin.

According to records, Arnold wanted to talk to Jamya, but she didn’t want to speak with him.

When he said something vulgar about Jamya, Jamarcus warned him to not talk about his sister like that and began to drive away.

That’s when Arnold pulled a gun and opened fire on the car, injuring three of the occupants.

Though shot, Jamarcus drove to the hospital where his younger brother, Deandre died from his injuries.

Arnold is being held without bail at the county jail and is scheduled to be arraigned on August 10th.