Purported Athens gang member arrested for double shooting

Freddarius Keontai Griffith

By Joe Johnson

A purported gang member reportedly has been arrested for allegedly shooting two teens last month in an east Athens neighborhood.

According to Athens-Clarke County police, 17-year-old Freddarius Keontai Griffith was arrested on warrants Tuesday afternoon at the Athens Gardens apartment complex off Lexington Road.

Police said that Griffith was a member of the Bloods street gang, and that the Jan. 31 shooting on Highland Park Drive was gang related. However, neither of the 18-year-old victims were believed by police to be gang members.

Griffith was charged in the warrants with two counts each of aggravated assault and violating the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism Prevention Act.

Another warrant charged Griffith with a burglary of a home on Barnett Shoals that was committed the day prior to the double shooting. In the burglary, electronics, cash and a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol loaded with a 17-round magazine were stolen, according to a police report.

When arrested, Griffith was found in possession of a firearm and was additionally charged with possession of a pistol by a person under 18, police said.

Although an arrest has been made the investigation was still ongoing, and police asked for anyone with information regarding the double shooting to contact Detective Paul Johnson at paul.johnson@accgov.com or (762) 400-7060.