COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) – The district attorney’s office has decided to end its prosecution of the suspect in a case involving a deadly shooting at a Columbus park in August 2021. After review, the shooting has been determined to be self-defense, according to a court document released on Aug. 17, 2022.
Iverson Gilyard Young, 20, was shot seven times by a juvenile on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021, on 13th Street near Linwood Tillis Park.
A 16-year-old juvenile was arrested on Aug. 20, 2021 and charged in the deadly shooting. He was initially charged with Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Fire during Commission of a Felony.
In May 2022, a motion to drop the charges against the juvenile was filed based on video evidence of the shooting. According to court documents, following review of the video, the decision was made to discontinued prosecution in the case, with findings showing the juvenile acted in self-defense at the time of the shooting.
The document said in part:
“The Court finds that the evidence is uncontradicted that Mr. Young was the primary aggressor, committed an aggravated assault upon Mr. [Redacted], was in constant possession of a firearm during this crime and threatened Mr. [Redacted] that he should not attempt to run as they left the park to retrieve some allegedly stolen items. The evidence also supports a finding that Mr. [Redacted] reasonably believed that an ongoing forcible felony (kidnapping) was being committed against him and that the use of deadly force was necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself.”
Previous Coverage
Aug. 14, 2021: Columbus police investigate deadly shooting
Aug. 15, 2021: UPDATE: Columbus police investigate deadly shooting; more information
Aug. 20, 2021: CPD: Suspect arrested in deadly shooting at 13th Avenue and Virginia Street
Aug. 23, 2021: 16-year-old murder suspect in court after an argument at a basketball court
July 26, 2022: Columbus mother speaks out as charges reconsidered in son’s shooting death