EAST POINT, GA — What started as a routine check of a commercial property in East Point quickly spiraled into a fatal encounter this Tuesday morning, leaving one man dead and another, a convicted felon, facing a murder charge. The victim, identified as Timthoy Collins, was found hiding on the property of Elite Auto Sales and Service before being shot by the property’s checker, Thomas Jackson.
According to arrest warrants, the chilling incident unfolded around 6:50 a.m. Jackson was reportedly securing the gate at his property along Connally Drive when he discovered Collins attempting to conceal himself nearby. Jackson, who was holding a gun, walked toward the man and grabbed him in an apparent attempt to detain him.
The warrants paint a stark picture of the moments that followed. Collins allegedly tried to break free, pushing off a secured fence in a desperate attempt to run. It was at this point, authorities say, that Jackson fired his weapon, striking Collins in the buttock as he fled. This single shot, fired at a man trying to escape, proved to be the fatal blow.
Collins was rushed to a local hospital, but his injuries were too severe, and he later died. The man who pulled the trigger, Thomas Jackson, was quickly taken into custody. As the investigation deepened, a troubling detail emerged about Jackson: he is a convicted felon out of South Carolina, with a prior conviction for breach of trust.
This felony history immediately amplified the severity of the charges Jackson now faces. Being a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm in the first place. Consequently, he has been charged not only with Murder and Aggravated Assault but also with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, as well as general Possession of a Firearm during the commission of a crime.
The whole community of East Point is left grappling with the tragic circumstances. Did a property check justify a lethal pursuit? The core issue now rests on the principle of self-defense versus the unlawful use of deadly force on a man who was allegedly fleeing. The fact that the victim was shot in the back as he ran away from the suspect will undoubtedly form the heartbreaking center of the case against Thomas Jackson.
As Timthoy Collins’ family mourns his sudden, violent loss, authorities continue to compile evidence. The legal battle ahead promises to be a complex one, pitting a property owner’s right to secure his business against the ultimate cost of a life cut short. The arrest of Thomas Jackson, a man who already carried the burden of a past felony conviction, closes the chapter on the immediate search for a suspect but opens a new, painful one for everyone involved.
Would you like me to look for any public statements or reactions from the families of Timthoy Collins or Thomas Jackson regarding this case?
