DeKalb County Man Sentenced to Life Plus 85 Years for Deadly Minivan Shooting

On August 1, 2024, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced that Deonta David, 28, has been convicted by a jury of multiple charges, including Malice Murder and Felony Murder, related to a shooting that occurred on August 20, 2020. The conviction also includes five counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree, Aggravated Battery, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony.

The shooting unfolded at approximately 7 p.m. when David, armed with an AR-15 rifle, and another unidentified individual with a handgun, opened fire on a minivan on Flat Shoals Road. The vehicle, occupied by Diante Harring, 25, and several others, was targeted after Harring and his companions drove to an apartment complex on Columbia Drive to meet David, who had arranged a marijuana transaction.

Upon arrival at the complex, David and his accomplice began shooting into the minivan. Harring attempted to flee the scene but was unable to drive safely due to the gunfire. Clifton Vickers, Harring’s adult brother, took control of the vehicle, driving about three miles before stopping on Flat Shoals Road. Inside the van, officers found the following:

• Diante Harring, unresponsive and suffering fatal injuries.
• A 10-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
• A 7-month-old baby with a gunshot wound to the foot, resulting in permanent loss of a toe.
• Clifton Vickers with a gunshot wound to the arm.
• The children’s mother, who was unharmed.

Paramedics transported the victims to the hospital, where Harring was pronounced dead. Vickers and the 10-year-old recovered from their injuries, while the baby suffered permanent damage.

Investigators, led by former DeKalb County Police Department Detective J.B. Williams, who is now a District Attorney Investigator, identified David through several key pieces of evidence. Vickers identified David from a lineup, and cell phone data placed David at the shooting scene. Text messages on David’s phone showed he was the last person to communicate with Harring before the shooting occurred.

Following the conviction, Senior Judge Winston Bethel, presiding over the DeKalb County Superior Court, sentenced David to Life plus 85 years. The prosecution was led by Senior Assistant District Attorney Helen Pott, with assistance from Senior Assistant District Attorney Reid White, District Attorney Investigator Curtis Averhart, and Victim Advocate Kaysha Albritton.