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Police identify teen who died after Atlanta pool party

By Aungelique Proctor
Published  May 28, 2019 6:21pm MST
U.S.
FOX 10 Phoenix

ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Parents of a teen who is suspected of drowning at a Memorial Day pool party.

Fulton County officials have identified the 19-year-old as Shomari Billings, a 2018 Honor graduate from North Atlanta High School who was currently attending Georgia Southern University.

"My baby couldn't swim and what happened on that day, I do not know. I don't know why my baby got in that water this time, but he got in the water and he is no longer with us today. I am not sure if he got in the pool on his own or if he was coerced," a tearful Shelly Billings remarked

Officers were called out to the pool in The 500 at Northside apartment complex on the 500 block of Northside Circle NW about 7:50 p.m. for that noise complaint due to a large party, according to police. Officers said they noticed a teenager in the water.

Billings was pulled out and CPR was administered, police said. He was rushed to a hospital, where he later died. Police think the teen died as a result of drowning, but an autopsy will need to be performed for an official cause of death.

Police said the group causing the disturbance had left the scene before the party was shut down and no arrests or citations were made.

Tuesday, the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as Shomari Billings of Atlanta. Billings graduated from North Atlanta High School in 2018 and was a student at Georgia Southern University.

Family members told FOX 5's Aungelique Proctor that Billings did not know how to swim.

The apartment complex sent the following statement to residents Monday night:

One of the people who organized the party told FOX 5's Aungelique Proctor that organizers sat down with apartment staffers five weeks ago to plan the celebration. The organizer also said his group hired four security guards. He disputed the apartments statement that the party was unauthorized.

Atlanta Police are investigating. The Fulton County Medical Examiner has not yet ruled the manner or cause of death.