Early Thursday morning in Atlanta, the kind of family call meant to appease tension spiraled into tragedy. At around 12:20 a.m., the Atlanta Police Department responded to the 50-block of Pharr Avenue in the Buckhead neighborhood after a woman dialed 911 about an argument with her boyfriend. The boyfriend’s father, 54-year-old Durante Tolliver, arrived at the complex shortly afterward — intent on helping, but what followed would shatter more than just car windows.
Officers interviewed the couple inside the unit. Meanwhile, Tolliver and his 32-year-old son exited to the apartment complex parking lot, and what began as a verbal clash quickly escalated. Investigators say the argument escalated into gunfire: at least five shots were heard. By the time police reached the lot, Tolliver’s son lay gravely wounded. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Officers didn’t have to chase Tolliver — he was detained at the scene without further incident. He now faces charges of murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during a felony. The identity of the son hasn’t been released, nor has the girlfriend’s name — the agency once floated the idea she worked for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, but later confirmed she is not an employee.
Neighbors described the scene afterward as surreal. One woman, Angeline Santivasci, told reporters she first thought the racket was fireworks until she realized the cops were already marching into the parking lot. “At first I thought, ‘Okay, is it fireworks?’ Because sometimes we get fireworks out here,” she said. “And I just walked to my balcony and literally the cops were on it right away.” Residents said the mood shifted instantly from quiet suburban early morning to alarm and confusion.
The call for help — between the father, the son and the girlfriend — turned into a catastrophic collision of emotions, expectations and grief. Police say they’re still piecing together exactly what triggered the violence, what words were exchanged, and whether any earlier incidents set the stage. For now, the father sits in protective custody while investigations continue, the parking lot remains a crime scene, and a family has lost a life that can’t be replaced.
Behind the flashing lights and the yellow tape is a silent community wondering how a calm-seeming domestic dispute could tip so swiftly into murder. For the people of Buckhead, the night shifted — and someone’s son didn’t come home.
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