On the night of June 12, 2023 in Rome, Georgia, 26-year-old Keion Tyjuan Harper was shot and killed in the Kellogg’s bakery plant parking lot on Old Lindale Road. The shooting happened shortly before 10:45 p.m. and was not related to the men’s jobs. Video shows Harper following a coworker outside, removing his hat and shirt and repeatedly approaching the other man’s car while a verbal confrontation continued. The encounter ended when Harper leaned into the car and slapped the driver, who then grabbed a pistol and fired, striking Harper twice. Harper was taken to a local hospital and later died of his wounds.

The shooter, 29-year-old Dekembe Devion Smith, a fellow Kellogg’s employee and former friend, called 911 to report the shooting and was arrested. Prosecutors said the pair had a history of arguments that led to the falling out. No question remains that a friendship ended in deadly violence; any readers who knew Keion Harper or have information about that night are asked to come forward.