Written by: E. George
Published September 24, 2023 @ 7:30 PM ET
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. – A 38-year-old Decatur man was arrested and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault after shooting and killing a suspected intruder in his apartment on Friday, September 15, 2023. DeKalb County Police officers responded to The Villas at Panthersville, an apartment complex with a dangerous history, at 8:25 PM and discovered a deceased man, approximated to be in his 40s, with a gunshot wound.
An arrest warrant indicated that Javonte Forts allegedly shot the intruder with a 9mm gun as the intruder was running away. The shooting followed an altercation between the two men after the intruder broke into the apartment.
Law enforcement officials have not released the deceased man’s identity or further information regarding the case.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution identified the apartment complex as one of the 275 listed in its “Dangerous Dwellings” investigation. The investigation analyzed serious crimes, lack of support and maintenance, and other hazards in Atlanta communities.
Police records revealed that 138 crimes occurred at The Villas from 2017 to 2021, including one arson, two homicides (in March 2017 and January 2019), four rapes, and 19 aggravated assaults.