Eighteen-year-old Darrien DJ Jackson was shot on the evening of June 30, 2025, at the 33Ninety Apartments on Fairburn Road in southwest Atlanta. Officers found him with a gunshot wound; he was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and later died of his injuries. Born May 17, 2007, he was remembered by people who knew him as a remarkable kid with a great smile and a respectful nature.

The initial investigation left questions about what exactly happened that night. For months the case remained under active inquiry. On February 2, 2026, a coordinated operation by the Atlanta Police Department’s SWAT team and the United States Secret Service produced an arrest. Twenty-two-year-old Willie Felder was taken into custody after execution of a search warrant and was charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony; he also had an outstanding warrant for simple battery and criminal trespass at the time.

Anyone who knew Darrien DJ Jackson, was at the 33Ninety Apartments on June 30, 2025, or has information about the shooting is asked to come forward.