Conyers Police responded to a call of a disturbance and later arrested the suspect, Eljay Thornton Jr., on robbery by force and started the process of securing a warrant on simple battery. Shortly after 1 a.m. on July 11 the suspect's father called the police after Thornton Jr. was swinging a stick at his cousin and running around the house. When police arrived Thornton Jr., shirtless, had fled into the woods near the house.