Police say 16-year-old Jalil Jones was shot June 19 on Mount Zion Road.
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A 16-year-old boy was shot and killed June 19 on Mount Zion Road after a dispute involving several people escalated into gunfire, Clayton County police said.
Investigators identified the teen as Jalil Jones and said Joshua Clinton, 16, has been arrested in the case. Police said detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division are still reviewing evidence, following leads and looking at whether other people were involved in the shooting.
Police said the shooting happened in the 800 block of Mount Zion Road. Detectives said the violence grew out of an ongoing dispute involving multiple people, though officials have not said what started the dispute or who fired first. A family friend and mentor, Lyniece Wilkes, said Jones had been trying to protect a younger child who was being bullied when he was killed. “He was outside trying to help and protect a young boy who needed help at the time,” Wilkes said.
Clinton was taken into custody with help from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, police said. He was booked into the Clayton County Jail on charges including murder, aggravated assault, cruelty to children, reckless conduct, battery, tampering with evidence, discharging a firearm near a public roadway and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Police said detectives also linked Clinton to a separate shooting that happened after Jones’ death, and additional warrants were obtained in that case.
A memorial has grown near the place where Jones was killed. Wilkes said Jones was well known in the Jonesboro community and had recently begun working toward new goals. She said he had started a job, was preparing to get his driver’s permit and was expected to start school in August. “He was well respected,” Wilkes said. “He was a 16-year-old kid. We took a big loss here in Jonesboro.”
Wilkes said the arrest has not ended the family’s grief. She said her focus remains on honoring Jones’ life and helping his family prepare for his funeral and burial. She described the past week as painful and hard to understand. “It’s still surreal, just knowing that I can’t just call and check up,” she said.
The investigation remains active. Police have not released a full timeline of the shooting or said whether more arrests are expected. Detectives are continuing to review the case and the separate shooting tied to Clinton.
Author note: Last updated June 28, 2026.