Two men were shot to death at a South Fulton home Wednesday morning during a fight that broke out as the alleged shooter was trying to move out, according to Fulton County court documents.
Malcombe Hill, 37, and Tijuan Heard, 35, were gunned down in the home on Bellmist Drive sometime before 3 a.m., a warrant details. It’s in a small neighborhood off Cedar Grove Road near South Fulton Parkway.
Zj’Xari Taylor, whose age was not disclosed, faces multiple charges, including two counts each of murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was arrested at a hospital after being taken for a possible gunshot wound to his hand.
The shooting was the culmination of a fight that started around noon the day before the incident, court records show.
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
According to a warrant for his arrest, Taylor had been staying at the home with Hill since mid-October. In the hours leading up to the shooting, the men had an argument over the use of a vehicle, and eventually Hill told Taylor to leave.
What followed was several attempts by Taylor to retrieve his belongings from inside the house, including multiple calls to police by both Taylor and Hill, the warrant states. Each time, police responded and eventually left after the parties were uncooperative.
By 2 a.m. Wednesday, Taylor called a family member to help him get his belongings, according to the warrant. The woman arrived and asked Hill and Heard, who was also inside the house, to let them in to pack Taylor’s things.
At some point, another argument broke out between the men. The woman tried to intervene, but Taylor told police that Hill “punched” her, the warrant states. Taylor then alleged that Hill “removed an unknown object from his waistband,” which prompted Taylor to fire several rounds, killing Hill, investigators detailed.
“Taylor stated that Mr. Heard then began advancing toward him without a weapon, and he fired at him as well, striking and killing him,” police wrote in the warrant.
According to officers, neither Taylor nor his family member contacted police after the shooting. Instead, Taylor was taken to the hospital for what was described as a laceration on his thumb. He did not know how he got the cut.
“Neighbors walking their dogs discovered the bodies lying in the garage and contacted police for assistance,” the warrant states.
Hill was found lying in the garage and Heard was found in a hallway leading to the garage, records show. They were both declared dead at the scene.
About the Author
