Police identified the deceased as 19-year-old Tristyn Mays; investigators say the surviving man acted in self-defense.
LITHONIA, GA. — A robbery attempt outside a gas station on Covington Highway turned into a shootout Monday night, leaving 19-year-old Tristyn Mays dead at the scene and another man wounded, according to DeKalb County police. Officers said the second man fled to a nearby street before first responders arrived.
Authorities said the exchange of gunfire unfolded in front of a Circle K at 6429 Covington Highway around 7:33 p.m. Monday. Investigators later connected a second scene on Cove Lane, a neighborhood just behind the station, where the injured man was found and taken to a hospital. Police said he is expected to recover. Detectives now believe Mays tried to rob the man, who returned fire. As of Tuesday, investigators said the surviving man would not face charges, calling the case an apparent act of self-defense while they continue to review evidence.
Officers first responded to reports of shots fired at the Circle K as customers were coming and going from the store. Patrol units found Mays with a fatal gunshot wound near the front of the business. Minutes later, calls directed officers to Cove Lane, where a second man with a gunshot wound was located. He told police he ran from the gas station after being shot. Video obtained by reporters shows a man leaving the store and walking toward a car when another man rushes up behind him and fires at close range. “Nothing like this has ever happened. This is unusual. This is unexpected,” gas station owner Shehzaad Mohammed said, describing what the footage captured.
Detectives said preliminary interviews and video indicate both men fired shots during the confrontation. The wounded man was hit in the arm, according to police, and is expected to recover at a local hospital. Investigators said no additional suspects have been named. Officers canvassed the area late into the night, collecting shell casings and pulling surveillance video from the storefront and adjacent businesses. Police said they are working to pinpoint how many rounds were fired and the precise sequence of events, including when the confrontation began and whether the men exchanged words before the gunfire. Authorities said they are also checking whether any bystanders’ cars or nearby buildings were struck. No other injuries were reported.
The gas station sits along a busy stretch of Covington Highway near apartment complexes and small retail centers. Residents said the corridor has seen police activity before, though deadly shootings outside the store are rare. Records show officers were called to the same block earlier this fall for unrelated incidents, but police did not link those reports to Monday’s case. The overnight investigation closed portions of the parking lot while customers navigated cones and crime scene tape around the pumps. Employees remained inside as detectives reviewed video and photographed the scene under floodlights. Neighbors on Cove Lane described officers going door to door to check for witnesses and home camera footage that might show the route the injured man took after the gunfire.
Police said the case remains an ongoing homicide investigation with no active charges against the wounded man. Detectives will present their findings to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office for review. If additional evidence emerges, authorities said they could reopen the question of charges. Investigators did not release the name of the surviving man, citing the continuing case review, and did not provide the caliber or models of firearms recovered. The Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct a full autopsy on Mays and determine an official cause and manner of death. Police said they plan to release an incident report summary once witness statements and surveillance timelines are formalized.
By Tuesday afternoon, the Circle K reopened its forecourt while detectives continued follow-ups. Customers trickled in to pay for gas and groceries as crews removed crime scene tape. “It’s scary because it happened so fast,” said Amber Lewis, who lives a block away and stopped for coffee the next morning. “You hear the noise and see the lights and just hope everyone gets home.” Another customer, Marcus Wright, said he often uses the station before work. “I’ve never seen that much police on this street,” Wright said. “We just want it quiet.” Mohammed said he is working with police to provide all cameras and time stamps from the property.
As of Monday evening, investigators said the two scenes were directly connected, the surviving man acted in self-defense, and no additional suspects had been identified. Police said they will release further updates if lab results or witness interviews change that assessment.
Author note: Last updated November 24, 2025.