EXCLUSIVE: Mother of man killed on Georgetown Dr. in Columbus speaks

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - New reaction from a Columbus mother whose son was shot and killed last Fall. This coming on the heels of two suspects surrendering to police as we learn a new twist in the case.

According to Columbus police, the investigation revealed that Michael McCarter was being robbed and is justified in the shooting death of 20-year-old Steven Daniels.

Steven Daniel’s mother says she told her son it’s very rare people are killed by strangers. Monctric Mcclendon says her son was not robbing...but trying to prevent the robbery.

“My son is gone over something so silly,” said Daniel’s mother.

In September of 2022, Steven Daniels was shot on Georgetown drive. Monctric Mcclendon his mother says he was visiting a friend before he was killed in the area. She tells us, Michael McCarter, the person who shot her son, and Steven had been friends for a very long time, even making music together.

“And I told my son too as it is very rare people are killed by strangers a lot of times you are killed by your friends um my son was not robbing he was trying to prevent it he was trying to prevent it.”

According to the Columbus police department, McCarter is being charged with Theft by Receiving Stolen Property because he was in possession of a stolen firearm prior to Daniels allegedly stealing from him. The other suspect who turned himself in to the police is Dwayne Neely. He is charged with Armed Robbery of the suspected shooter.

Neither of them received murder charges. Mcclendon says the only reason her son took the gun from McCarter was to de-escalate the situation.

“But according to the detectives they said that Steven disarms Mike way before Lil D took Mike bag but I am gonna get some export some expert opinion to see what really happened because I’m not just gonna let it go like that.”

McClendon warns parents about their sons or daughters getting caught up in a bad crowd.

“Young men hang with your kind my son was he was not in his lane the the boys he hung around they did not have the same morals they did not have the same principles.”

Never getting to see her son again, but McClendon says she is very proud of the son she raised.

“And my son did disarm that young man and my son did have an opportunity to kill that young man but he didn’t because my son is not a killer and I’m proud it makes me proud.”

And she wants any young men on the streets to know there is so much more the world has to offer.

“Start living and stop killing each other.”

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