The case against a 16-year-old boy accused in the fatal shooting of a MARTA driver will move forward, while charges against two other teenagers have been dropped, the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.
During a Wednesday preliminary hearing, a DeKalb magistrate judge ruled that there was “enough evidence” to proceed. The teen, who is not being publicly identified by officials because of his age, is facing charges of felony murder and aggravated assault in the Jan. 3 death of Leroy Ramos, 47.
“The DA’s Office is still investigating the case against the alleged shooter and has not yet made a final determination about whether the charges against him will be handled in juvenile court or whether he will be prosecuted as an adult in superior court,” DA’s office spokeswoman Claire Chaffins said in a news release.
Two other teens, ages 16 and 14, were arrested after the incident and charged with murder, MARTA police previously said. Their charges were dropped Wednesday.
“After a thorough review of the incident, the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney has determined that the other two teenagers involved in the argument did not participate in the shooting in any way,” Chaffins said.
The shooting occurred after an alleged dispute over the $2.50 fare at the Decatur station on Church Street, according to police. Chaffins stated that the alleged shooter and the other teens were involved in the argument, which continued off the bus and escalated into a physical altercation.
The suspected shooter is then accused of pulling out a gun and firing several rounds, Chaffins confirmed.
Ramos had worked for MARTA for only a few months after starting in October. MARTA’s general manager and CEO, Collie Greenwood, said he was the father of three and had “established himself as a friend.”
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