Stepfather reportedly fatally shoots teen after teen leaves house during COVID-19 lockdown

An Atlanta stepfather fatally shot his teenage stepson after the teen reportedly left the family's home during the COVID-19 lockdown, police said.

What are the details?

According to an Associated Press report, authorities arrested 42-year-old Bernie Hargrove early Thursday morning.

Authorities charged Hargrove with felony murder in the death of 16-year-old De'onte Roberts, and booked him into the Fulton County Jail.

The teen's mother told police that her son had left the house Wednesday evening despite her and the stepfather's demands that he remain inside and comply with shelter-in-place directives.

Steve Avery, a spokesperson for the police department, said that when De'onte returned to the home, he and his stepfather engaged in a physical altercation. During the altercation, Hargrove reportedly pulled out a gun and shot the teen "multiple times," according to the report.

"Later, the victim returned to the home and kicked in the door to the house where a physical fight began between the suspect and the victim," Avery said.

First responders arrived on the scene and transported the teen to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

In a brief statement, Atlanta Police Captain D'Andrea Price said that it's best to separate and cool down during emotionally charged times.

"Tensions get high because you're in the same space, day in and day out," Price said. "However, when the pressure gets high, you just have to take a deep breath and you have to separate."