Atlanta Man Charged with Murder in 2024 Fatal Basketball Dispute Shooting

The Atlanta Police Department has announced an arrest in the homicide of a male victim who died in November 2024 from complications of a gunshot wound sustained months earlier.

Derrick Dalton, 45, was taken into custody by Atlanta Police Zone 6 officers and transported to Dekalb County Jail. He has been charged with Murder.

The investigation began on July 14, 2024, at approximately 11:27 p.m., when officers responded to a report of a person shot at 1572 Hardee St. Upon arrival, officers located a male victim with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Grady EMS transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment.

Preliminary investigation from that time indicated that the victim was shot by a male suspect during an escalated dispute over a basketball that repeatedly landed within the victim’s property and struck his barbeque grill.

The male victim was later pronounced deceased on November 8, 2024, after being admitted to a local hospital. The Medical Examiner’s Office determined that his death resulted from complications stemming from the apparent gunshot wound. Homicide Unit investigators were notified and have been working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.