A day of fellowship and brotherhood ended in tragedy when an uninvited masked man, identified as 23-year-old Justin Minnitee, opened fire at a Kappa Alpha Psi picnic, resulting in the death of 33-year-old Anthony Pearson.
Members of the Gamma Zeta and Gamma Chi chapters convened at Coan Park in Atlanta on Saturday, June 28th, when Minnitee approached the group and initiated an argument, according to police reports.
According to WSB-TV, some fraternity members attempted to deescalate the situation, before Minnitee opened fire. Pearson was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene. Two additional females sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Police reported that individuals at the picnic with concealed carry permits returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect. Minnitee subsequently succumbed to his injuries at Grady Memorial Hospital.
Almost two years ago, on September 10, 2023, Minnitee, who was 21 at the time, was arrested for aggravated assault and tampering with physical evidence after allegedly firing a gun during a physical altercation ina popular entertainment district in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Police identified Minnitee as the suspect who fired a round from a pistol during a physical altercation. According to VineLink, he was serving probation for the crime, which took effect on February 4, 2025, through February 3, 2031.
A fundraiser has been initiated to raise $90,000 in support of Pearson’s daughter, Avery, in his memory.
“AP was more than just a friend or brother; he was a light in every room, a source of joy, wisdom, and realness. He poured love into his people, and now, we’re coming together to pour that love back into what mattered most to him: his daughter, Avery,” the organizer Carl Scott wrote.
33-year-old, Anthony Pearson, who was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, succomb from his injuries on Saturday, June 28th at Coan Park; Courtesy of Facebook
“This fundraiser is about securing something for Avery’s future. That’s what AP would have wanted and we want to make sure she’s taken care of in the same spirit he took care of all of us,” Scott added.
So far approximately $20,000 was raised. No updates on Pearson’s funeral. Funeral services will be provided by Cook Brothers Funeral Directors and Cremations in Fairburn, Georgia.
According to a Facebook post by Jazmin Minnitee, funeral arrangements are set for the suspect, which is scheduled for Wednesday, July 9th, at 1pm at Rainbow Park Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia.
