A Lake City teen has been arrested for the shooting death of another teen two years ago.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday morning the arrest of 18-year-old Brandon Hopkins in the February 2021 slaying of teen Dionne Leslie.
“This is bittersweet for us,” Sheriff Mark Hunter said in a release. “We are pleased to bring closure to a victim’s family, but we understand that nothing will bring back their loved one. We will continue to work with the State Attorney’s Office to make sure this suspect is held accountable for his actions.”
On Feb. 2, 2021, deputies responded to the intersection of SE Lochlynn Terrace and SE Putnam Street in reference to a shooting shortly after 5 p.m.
When they arrived, the deputies found two 17-year-olds with gunshot wounds. The victims were transported to an area hospital where one of them, Leslie, died a few hours later. Leslie was a CHS student, who would have been a senior this year.
Hopkins was already in custody at the Columbia County Detention Facility on unrelated charges. He was booked into the jail last June and now faces charges of homicide, burglary, grand theft auto, three weapons offenses and battery by a detainee.