On the evening of March 3, 2022, 28-year-old John Battle stopped at a Shell gas station on Covington Highway in Lithonia, Georgia, with his girlfriend and their 1-year-old daughter. As they were leaving, a dispute between two groups erupted into gunfire. Battle, an innocent bystander, was struck by gunfire while driving away; his vehicle subsequently crashed into a wooded area. His girlfriend and daughter were not seriously injured.

Family and friends remembered Battle as a kind, generous, and hardworking father and son. A vigil was held at the gas station where he was killed, and attendees pleaded for an end to the violence. The day after the shooting a 14-year-old was arrested and charged with felony murder and armed robbery; that teenager had been wounded in the shootout. A second suspect, 22-year-old Ace Chrishon Benton, was arrested about two weeks later and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. Authorities reported Benton confessed and that the weapon he allegedly used was recovered.

Does anyone who knew John or who was at the gas station that night have additional information to share?