Former Tulane basketball star Teshaun Hightower was arrested over the weekend in connection with a fatal shooting in Stockbridge, Georgia, on April 8. Hightower was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, battery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
He has denied the charges and his attorney, Averick Walker, said that it was Hightower's brother, Jeffery, who fired the gun in self-defense.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the incident began after another suspect, Tyreek Farmer, got into a fist-fight with the victim, 24-year-old Devontae Long, at an apartment complex in Stockbridge. During the altercation, Farmer said he was pistol-whipped by Long and left to get back up.
He returned with the Hightower brothers and three other men to confront Long. They approached Long in a breezeway, and his girlfriend told police the Teshaun pulled out a gun and shot Long, who was rushed to the hospital where he died.
Walker disputed that version of events and said that Long came out of his apartment armed with a gun and that Jeffery opened fire to protect his brother.
"He's innocent. He didn't shoot anybody. It's sad that this detective sought to make him out to be a monster, and he's not. When it's all said and done, it will come out in the wash that the person who did fire the gunshot the gun to protect Teshaun," Walker told ESPN. "Teshaun's brother actually fired the weapon and fired in self-defense. The victim came out of the house with a gun in his hand and turned his weapon toward Teshaun to shoot him. That's why the victim was shot himself."
Authorities have five of the suspects in custody. Hightower, his brother Jeffrey, Farmer, Tobias Gresham, and Antonie Gresham are all facing murder, aggravated assault, and weapons charges. Police said that another suspect, Kelvonie Burney, is still at large.
Photo: Henry County Sheriff’s Office