Atlanta man kills 4, self after an argument over taxes and child support with ex

The Atlanta man accused of killing his wife, her boyfriend and two children had earlier been arguing with her over taxes and child support, say the investigators. He then landed at her house and killed four people in the most gruesome manner before shooting himself fatally too. A statement issued by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says he had enough ammunition to shoot more people.

The incident happened shortly after 3 p.m. on Saturday evening as the people in Douglasville, about 20 miles west of Atlanta neighborhood were enjoying relatively warm weather. 33 year old Cedric G. Prather Jr. parked his car a quarter mile away from his ex-wife, 33 year old Latoya A. Andrews’ home. Then he walked inside and killed her along with her boyfriend, 33-year-old Joseph Terry Brown, police said.

Latoya Andrews, center, was one of five people killed Saturday in Douglas County

Prather then killed his 7-year-old daughter, London, and 9-year-old son, Jerimiah. One of them pleaded with him not to pull the trigger but Prather was unstoppable, recalls one of the witnesses. He shot and wounded two other children, who are in critical condition: Andrews’ 15-year-old daughter, Demesha Owens, and Brown’s 7-year-old daughter, Jada Brown.

After the bloodbath, he shot himself in the street. Prather has another child with Andrews, a 13 year old son. He was not at home when the shooting took place. The neighbours, alarmed to hear the gun shots, called the 911.

Prather left no note explaining his motive, Douglas County sheriff’s Capt. Bruce Ferguson said. He also added that no previous records of domestic violence against him had been found.

“I can’t tell you why he did it,” Ferguson said. “All I can do is to say he snapped or he had enough is what we’ve concluded in our investigation.”

Prather’s friends told the police that he had been a little upset of late.