Pair Arrested and Charged with Felony Murder of Treutlen County Student

Emily Ford, 20, and Allen Knight, 19, of Soperton were arrested and charged with felony murder, aggravated assault and being party to each other’s crimes following the shooting of two Treutlen County students, according to a press release from the Soperton Police Department.

“Things like this are not supposed to happen in our city,” said Soperton Mayor John Koon in a statement released on social media. “I am both shocked and heartbroken by this senseless act of violence. The death of one of our young people reminds us all how precious life is and how important it is to cherish each day and each other.”

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At approximately 3:40 p.m. on Oct. 5, the Soperton Police Department received a call reporting shots fired in the 100 block of New Street. The responding officer found a 15-year-old Treutlen County Student with multiple gunshot wounds, who died at the scene.

A 17-year-old Treutlen County student with multiple gunshot wounds came to the EMS headquarters at the same time. He was taken to Memorial Health Meadows Hospital in Vidalia via ambulance, then to a trauma unit via helicopter.

The Soperton Police Department collaborated with the Treutlen County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations and arrested Ford and Knight on Oct. 6. According to the press release, the Georgia State Patrol’s Swainsboro and Dublin posts, Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, the Dublin Police Department, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Dublin Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation, which is still ongoing.

“Investigations are dynamic with a lot of moving parts,” said Soperton Chief of Police Brian Scott in the release. “The investigating agencies, as well as the partner law enforcement agencies who assisted, all had a unified goal: Find the facts and seek justice for the victims.”

Following the shooting, Treutlen County schools entered a soft lockdown, meaning classes would continue as normal, but students would have to pass through weapon detectors when entering the buildings. Outdoor activities on Oct. 5 were suspended due to the lockdown, and after-school activities and athletics scheduled for Oct. 6 were also cancelled. 

In addition, the schools also saw an increased presence of law enforcement, counselors and support staff.