Second arrest made in fatal shooting of 7-year-old girl in Atlanta

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - The Atlanta Police Department has arrested a second person in connection to the fatal shooting of a 7-year-old girl in August.

Police arrested Deshon Collins in connection to an Aug. 27 homicide on Jackson Street NE.

The shooting happened in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood just before 10:15 p.m. on Aug. 27. Police said the little girl, identified as Ava Phillips, was shot in the head during a family gathering. Phillips died at the scene.

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Homicide detectives were able to identify two persons of interest in this investigation and obtained arrest warrants for 23-year-old Deshon Collins and 44-year-old Kemeka Springfield. Police say Springfield, who is the girl’s mother, was taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

The woman told the 9-1-1 dispatcher she was “hiding out” because the shooter was still in the area. She says she heard five gunshots.

“Make sure you keep your head down because he’s still over there,” the caller said to someone in the car. A man with red pants and dreadlocks was seen by the caller running away after the shooting.

Ava’s father, Jonathan Phillips, issued a plea for help and a warning to parents after a powerful daddy-daughter bond was shattered by gunfire.

He previously told Atlanta News First that Ava was polite, beautiful, and “could do it all.”

“Ava was everything I ever wanted in a little girl,” said Phillips. “Looked just like me, full of life – she’s the youngest, but she called all the shots.”

Atlanta PD says Collins remained on the run until Nov. 16 when Fugitive detectives, along with the Airport Interdiction team, made contact with him while he was attempting to fly out of the state. He was taken into custody without incident and eventually transported to Fulton County Jail.

Collins is charged with murder, cruelty toward children, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.