An 18-year-old Hall County man lost his life after being shot late Thursday night outside of a gas station on U.S. 129/Cleveland Highway in north Hall County.
The incident happened outside of the Texaco Station at the corner of 129 and Nopone Road around 10 p.m., according to the Hall County Sheriff's Office.
Bryan Ramirez, an employee of the business, died at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
The incident happened outside of the Texaco Station at the corner of 129 and Nopone Road around 10 p.m., according to the Hall County Sheriff's Office.
Bryan Ramirez, an employee of the business, died at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
Deputy Stephen Wilbanks said investigators believe Ramirez was hit by gunfire from a moving Ford F150 pickup truck. Ramirez had been taking a break with a friend outside of the store when the truck drove through the parking lot.
"As the truck passed near the picnic table, the occupant fired a single round from a rifle, striking the victim in the back," according to Wilbanks.
The friend was not injured but witnessed the ordeal.
Investigators arrested 19 year-old Talon Lowery, of Sautee. He was initially charged with murder and booked into the Hall County Jail.
Investigators arrested 19 year-old Talon Lowery, of Sautee. He was initially charged with murder and booked into the Hall County Jail.
The break in the case came soon after the shooting occurred.
"The suspect apparently videoed the incident using Snapchat and sent that to a number of people," Wilbanks said. A daughter of a White County Sheriff's investigator naturally brought it to his attention right away."
Wilbanks said White County authorities were familiar with Lowery and went to his residence. They detained him until Hall County investigators arrived.
"The shooter's vehicle was located at his residence, and our deputies and investigators executed a search warrant and retrieved the suspected murder weapon from that vehicle as well," Wilbanks said.
Authorities described the case as very active on Friday morning with investigators executing search warrants on Lowery's home and phone.
Authorities described the case as very active on Friday morning with investigators executing search warrants on Lowery's home and phone.
"They're still working trying to determine if there was anybody else in the shooter's vehicle at the time, so we're still trying to gather some information on that, as well as trying to determine if there was any relationship between the two, if they were even known to one another," Wilbanks said.
Investigators encouraged anyone with more information on the crime to call the Hall County Sheriff’s Office at (770) 531-6879.
