Parents Sue Georgia Homeowner After Fatal Shooting of 3 Teens Ruled Self-Defense

Lawsuit Seeks Damages From Man Who Defended Life Against Armed Teens

A homeowner in Conyers, Georgia, who killed three teenagers during a 2019 attempted robbery now faces a lawsuit from the teens’ parents, who demand “justice” despite a police ruling of self-defense.

The case, rooted in a violent pre-dawn confrontation, tests Georgia’s stand-your-ground law.

The incident occurred Sept. 16, 2019, at a home on White Oak Court, 25 miles east of Atlanta.

Three teens—Isaiah Reid and Jaime Hernandez, both 16, and a 15-year-old whose name was not released—approached three residents in the front yard at 4 a.m.

Isaiah Reid and Jaime Hernandez

The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office said the masked teens, armed with a handgun, attempted to rob the group.

One teen fired at the residents, prompting the homeowner to return fire, killing all three. One died at the scene, the others at a hospital.

“The victims of the attempted robbery were unharmed, but the three suspects were shot and killed during the gunfire exchange,” the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff Eric Levett told reporters the homeowner was questioned but not charged.

“It could be a stand-your-ground case, based on our initial findings,” Levett said.

Georgia law permits deadly force to prevent death, bodily harm, or a forcible felony. Deputies confirmed the teens were armed and fired first.

Rockdale coroner IDs three masked teens fatally shot in attempted robbery (11alive.com)

Neighbor Carlos Watson, roused by the gunfire, described the chaos. “It was a lot of shots, back and forth. Not just one person shooting,” he said.

In May 2025, the parents of the deceased teens announced plans to sue the homeowner, whose identity remains undisclosed.

The lawsuit’s claims are not public, and the parents’ attorney could not be reached. Reid and Hernandez were brothers, family members said.

Authorities said the incident was not racially motivated, as the homeowner and teens were Black.

The 2019 shooting drew brief attention, then faded until the lawsuit emerged. Georgia’s stand-your-ground law, often debated, typically holds when threats are clear.

The parents’ lawsuit has raised eyebrows, as it seeks damages from a man who defended his life against their children’s armed attack.

Reid, Hernandez, and the third teen arrived masked, wielding a gun, and fired first, police said, actions that led to their deaths under a law designed to protect victims of violent crime.

Yet the parents, rather than grappling with how their sons ended up committing a felony at 4 a.m., are pursuing a payout from the homeowner they hold responsible.

“The law is clear: you don’t get to attack someone and then cry foul when they fight back,” Levett said in a follow-up statement after the lawsuit surfaced.

The move has drawn scrutiny, with critics arguing it deflects accountability from the teens’ choices and the parents’ role, casting a shadow over their demand for “justice.”