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Two alleged gang members in Georgia have been charged with the murder of a former high school soccer star who was killed by a stray bullet while working at a bar more than a year ago.
Tsion Clayton, 23, and Kimone Green, 21, were both charged with one count of malice murder on Tuesday for the killing of 21-year-old Brianna Long, The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said in a press release.
The alleged killers were already in custody for unrelated cases when investigators identified them as the suspects in Long’s death and issued arrest warrants.
Authorities said one suspect is being held in Georgia and the other in Florida.
Long, a Valdosta State University student, was closing up at The Pier in Remerton — about 40 miles north of the Florida border — along with a male co-worker when a fight outside the bar led to gunfire around 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 29, 2023.
She was struck by a stray bullet inside the bar and was rushed to South Georgia Medical Center, where she later died from her injuries. Her co-worker was also struck by a bullet but survived.
Patrons were still outside the bar when the gunfire erupted, and stray bullets also struck several vehicles during the shooting.
The GBI launched an investigation into the shooting days after Long was killed.
Investigators believe the two alleged killers were in the area looking for “another person related to an ongoing gang dispute” when the shots were fired.
The GBI said additional charges are expected to be filed as the case progresses.
Long was a former standout soccer player at Paulding County High School and was named the regional winner for Positive Athlete Georgia out of 5,000 student-athletes nominated for the 2019-2020 school year award.
She was expected to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene in May 2024 before she was killed.
Following the arrests, Long’s mother, Brandi Spinks, asked for prayers as the family navigates through the “extremely difficult time.”
“God answered our prayers but we still have a long road ahead of us,” Spinks wrote on Facebook Wednesday.
Long’s mother told Fox 5 Atlanta that her daughter was “our world” shortly after her killing in 2023.
“She was a cheerleader her whole little life, Miss Paulding County, honors student,” Spinks said at the time.
“We just want to know why. We want to know why, and we want to make sure that this person is no longer out there, taking away another innocent life.”
Spinks launched the “Brianna Long Foundation” to memorialize her daughter and “to carry on Brianna’s legacy.”
The foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to promoting dental care initiatives and providing access to dental services for underserved communities.
“We work tirelessly to carry on Brianna’s legacy and create a world where everyone has the opportunity to smile with confidence and live life to the fullest,” the charity page says. “Together, we can make a difference—one smile at a time.”
