College Square man shot dead
Published 1:23 pm Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Neighbors near the scene of a body found near the sidewalk in Burbage Grant were surprised at the incident happening so close to their neighborhood.
Antonio Boone, 20, of the 6000 block of Brookwood Drive in College Square, was found dead just before noon Tuesday. Initial calls to emergency dispatchers reported gunshots fired, and Boone was suffering from gunshot wounds, city spokeswoman Debbie George said.
The city labeled the death “undetermined” throughout the day.
One motorist near the scene reacted with horror when told what she assumed had been a pedestrian hit by a car was actually a shooting.
“In this neighborhood?” she asked.
The sidewalk where the man was found is a highly trafficked one used by residents for exercise and enjoyment. One neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said her son walks the dog there every day after school.
Speaking as police officers were interviewing neighbors nearby, the woman said her husband heard four shots when he was in the back of their house, closer to the scene.
He called to her in the front of the house asking if she heard it, and she said no. But they soon discovered something had happened.
The woman has one child at the nearby Northern Shores Elementary School, which went into lockdown after the shooting. The school called twice with a recorded message to let parents know students were safe, the woman said.
Another parent, who did not want to be identified, said the school “handled it very well.” She said she received calls on her home phone and mobile phone, as well as a text message and an email.
“Definitely, communication was excellent,” she said.
The mother said her kids thought the situation had been merely a drill.
“They didn’t seem to know what happened at all or seem traumatized at all,” the mother said. “I think that’s good on the school they didn’t say too much.”
Principal Tara Moore sent a letter home with students, telling parents that students and staff had not been allowed to leave the main building. Classes in mobile units had been escorted into the main building and remained there for the rest of the day. Police officers swept the school grounds for any threats and remained on site for the rest of the day, she wrote.
“We appreciate the manner in which the police, and our students and staff responded during this situation,” she wrote.
Traffic along Respass Beach Road, including school buses, was routed through the neighborhood for most of the afternoon as investigators continued their work.
Anyone who has information is asked to call Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP. Callers to Crime Line never have to give their names or appear in court, and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.