ATLANTA, GEORGIA: In a heart-wrenching incident that shocked the community, 19-year-old Omarian Banks tragically lost his life when he accidentally knocked on the wrong door, resulting in a fatal shooting. The devastating event occurred on the night of March 29, 2019, in Georgia, leaving friends, family, and the entire community mourning the loss of a young life.
Who is Darryl Bynes?
At the center of this harrowing tale stands Darryl Bynes, a 36-year-old resident of the neighborhood where the fatal shooting took place. After a long and emotionally charged trial, Bynes was found guilty on all counts, including murder, felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal damage to property in the first degree, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment with an additional 15-year term. The sentencing, announced by Fulton County District Attorney Fani T Willis, ensures that Bynes will spend the remainder of his life behind bars, serving time for the life he unjustly took away.
During the trial, Banks' girlfriend provided a chilling account of the night's events, recalling the moment when Omarian Banks mistakenly knocked on Bynes' door, believing it belonged to his girlfriend. She told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "But when I opened the door, I didn't see him... Then I hear one gunshot, and after that, I hear him yell, 'I'm sorry, bro. I'm at the wrong house.'" She then heard her neighbor say to her boyfriend, “Nah, (expletive), you’re not at the wrong house,” and fired twice more. She subsequently found Banks in the grass. “I turned him over, and that’s when I seen the gunshot wound to his neck and blood all over him,” she told the outlet.
Bynes, in his defense, claimed he thought Banks was armed and posed a threat to his family. His attorney, Michael Antoniolli, stated during the preliminary hearing, "This is a high crime area. There’s constant violence and theft going on. He assumed everybody's in a gang and everybody was trying to rob or steal something from him." Despite Bynes' defense, law enforcement officers found no weapon on Banks at the time of the shooting, raising doubts about the claim of self-defense.
Conflicting portraits
Family members of Bynes, including his cousin Mackayla Johnson, presented a different perspective on the accused. Johnson described him as a loving family man with no history of aggression, stating, "He's never had the intent to harm anybody... He's not aggressive, does not have an aggressive criminal record." This portrayal of Bynes seemed incongruous with the actions he took that fateful night, leaving many puzzled about the motives behind the shooting. According to Atlanta police spokesman Officer Jarius Daugherty, the victim had already walked away from the door before he was shot. “The resident of the apartment then went onto his balcony to confront the victim,” Daugherty stated, per the AJC. “A verbal exchange ensued between the two parties and, at some point, the resident produced a handgun and shot the victim.”
Sharonda Smith, a neighbor who witnessed the incident, testified in court, recalling the heartbreaking moment when Banks realized his mistake. She said, as quoted by WSB-TV, "I heard, 'I was at the wrong door. I'm sorry. I was at the wrong door,'... Then, 'No, you were not at the wrong door!' Pow! Pow! Pow!" Her account further illustrated the tragic confrontation that resulted in Banks' untimely death. "And I see that baby laying on the ground. That’s what I seen," she added.
A mother's grief
Banks' mother, Lisa Johnson, expressed profound grief and anger in the aftermath of the shooting. In April 2019, she told 11 Alive that the gunman "wanted death," adding, “You could have just let him go home. But you came out on your balcony." In another interview with ABC News, Johnson said she wanted to understand “why he had to take my son’s life," adding, "My son was just confused. He just went to the wrong door, and he was begging for his life.”
