23yr old Nigerian who was shot & killed by his colleague in Atlanta, laid to rest

On Saturday, October 24, Emmanuel Chukwudi Nwankwo was laid to rest at Forest Hills Memorial Gardens after a celebration of life service.

According to Atlanta Police, the 23-year-old security guard was shot and killed by his co-worker Dexter Harper (right), another security guard while at work on Thursday October 1, in Buckhead, Atlanta Georgia. Dexter admitted not just to the killing, but to seeing a demon and hearing the voice of God before he opened fire on Emmanuel. Atlanta police spokeswoman Kim Jones said 26-year-old Harper was charged with murder and taken to the Fulton County Jail.

Homicide detectives said the two security guards were in the skyscraper alone when they apparently began arguing. Police said surveillance video didn't capture the deadly shooting but was helpful in showing them what happened.

 

     "We have two security guards who were working at this location. We are not sure what the motive was.  We have been told there may have been some type of verbal argument that escalated into the gunfire," Atlanta Police Lt. Charles Hampton said.

Powerful testimony in court came from the father of a murder victim minutes before a judge denied bond for the security guard accused of killing his son.

 

     "I believe that this court, on this land, in Atlanta, Georgia, with the state and this case will set a stand," said Emmanuel Nwankwo Sr as he fought to keep his son's accused killer in jail until trial.

     "How do you feel like you have son, an American son, the soul of your son, was murdered," Nwankwo Sr. said.

      "Well, the victim's family should be upset. I mean, anytime anybody passes it's a horrible thing. I'm just going to have to review the case, figure out the facts and see how I can defend him," defense attorney Manny Arora said. 

Police say during interviews, Harper admitted to the shooting because he saw a demon in the victim.

     "Another reason that he gave later on the interview, he said God told him to do it," said Detective Eugene Johnson with the Atlanta Police Department.

     "Based on the comments that were made by the client to the police at the scene, it would appear that there are going to be some mental health issues. I don't know what level they rise to, but we're going to start exploring that," Arora said. 

After prosecutors argued Harper was a danger to the community, himself and his family. The judge denied bond and bound the case over to court.

The judge set another court date for Harper in November. Meantime, Harper's attorney says he'll work to get his clients psychological evaluation done as soon as possible.