The McDOUGALD Children - 15 and 8 yo -(2010) Albany GA

Two young children are dead after a domestic violence case quickly escalated to a double murder suicide in Colquitt County.Around 10:30 Monday night the Colquitt County Sheriff's Office says Kejie McDougald shot his child and stepchild, ages eight and fifteen, before turning the gun and killing himself at 178 Cool Breeze Drive, just outside of Moultrie.The Sheriff tells us the call originally came in as a domestic violence case. Angela McDougald called 911 from a neighbor's house after her and her husband got into a physical fight in which she was injured. When deputies went inside her house to find Mr. McDougald, they found him and the two children dead with gunshot wounds.The McDougalds both worked in Colquitt County schools. She is a School Resource Officer at C. A. Gray Middle School and he was a paraprofessional at a Colquitt County Elementary school.The GBI is in the middle of their investigation and still on the scene. They aren't releasing any information right now on what led up to the fight, names of the victims, or how exactly they were killed.

No clues to fatal argument

3 dead, one injured in Monday’s domestic violence



This house at 178 Cool Breeze Drive sits quiet in a quiet neighborhood Tuesday. Monday night, however, an argument between two residents ignited and three people, including two children, were found dead inside.

MOULTRIE — An argument Monday evening escalated into an incident where two children and a parent were shot and killed Monday night, authorities said.

Steve Turner, special agent in charge of the Thomasville GBI office, said Colquitt County sheriff’s deputies were called to 178 Cool Breeze Drive about 10:30 p.m. Monday about a domestic dispute. When deputies arrived, however, they found the bodies of three males inside the house, identified as Kajie McDougald, mid-30’s, and two children, Quentin Grimsley, 15, and Bakari McDougald, 8.

Deputies and agents know an argument took place between Kajie and Angela McDougald, but Turner said it was not known what caused it to escalate into the shootings. Kajie worked as an instructional provider at Stringfellow Elementary School, and Angela worked as a Colquitt County sheriff’s deputy school resource officer at C.A. Gray Junior High School.

The bodies of the three males were taken to the GBI crime lab in Atlanta for an autopsy, and Turner said officials were awaiting the results to see if anything about the incident could be revealed. It was believed the two children were shot by Kajie with a handgun he owned. Angela’s service weapon was not used in the incident.

Angela McDougald was also injured during the argument but was not shot, Turner said. She was taken to Colquitt Regional Medical Center for treatment, and a hospital spokesperson said she was treated for her injury and released Tuesday.

Colquitt County Coroner Verlyn Brock said Angela was heavily sedated for most of the day Tuesday.

A neighbor of the McDougalds said the entire neighborhood’s love and prayers are with the family. Everyone had a great respect and love for them, and their presence in the neighborhood will be sorely missed.

Colquitt County Sheriff Al Whittington said it was ironic the incident took place during Domestic Violence Awareness Week. It goes to show that no one, not even a deputy sheriff, is immune from domestic violence, he added.

Counselors converge on two schools


MOULTRIE — Counselors converged Tuesday on two schools affected by a shooting that left two students and an instructor dead and a school resource officer injured.

Stringfellow Elementary, where Kajie McDougald was a teacher and 8-year-old Bakari McDougald was a student, brought in four additional counselors from other schools around the county to assist the school’s counselor.

Kajie McDougald, Bakari McDougald, and 15-year-old Quentin Grimsley were found dead Monday night at their 178 Cool Breeze Drive residence. Law enforcement officials believe Kajie McDougald shot the children with his pistol before turning the gun on himself.

One additional counselor was at C.A. Gray Junior High on Tuesday in addition to the three on staff.

Stringfellow kept its regular class schedule on Tuesday, Principal Darlene Reynolds said.

“We tried to maintain a sense of normalcy,” she said. “That’s best at this point. Those students who needed to were able to come out of class and talk with counselors. They’ve been seeing them (students) in groups.”

Kajie McDougald had worked as an instructional provider at the school since 2004. In that capacity he worked with students in grades two through five, but mainly math instruction and tutoring with fourth and fifth graders.

Grimsley was a C.A. Gray student and Angela McDougald was a school resource officer employed by Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office at the school.

Stringfellow plans to have extra counselors on hand today and then evaluate whether they are needed for an additional period of time, Reynolds said. Some of the students heard about the tragedy on the morning television news before coming to school Tuesday, while others were unaware before arriving on campus.

“We are sending letters out to all the parents to let them know they may be grieving,” Reynolds said. “It’s difficult to understand. The boys and girls are getting lots of support.”

For staff members, nearby First Baptist Church, which partners with the school, sent over its pastor and assistant pastor, she said.

A ribbon was on the door of the school on Tuesday, and today the school plans to display a photo of Bakari McDougald.

During his time at Stringfellow, Kajie McDougald was a valued employee, Superintendent Leonard McCoy said. There were no problems with him during that time.

“Nothing,” McCoy said. “Nothing but a positive contribution to the atmosphere and the lives of the staff of Stringfellow Elementary School.”

The administration is in the process of determining what, if any, school memorials will be held, McCoy said.

Angela McDougald, who was injured, but not shot, during the domestic disturbance at the residence, has worked at C.A. Gray since the sheriff’s office took over the school resource officer program in 2002, Sheriff Al Whittington said.

“I hired her as a school resource officer, to work primarily at C.A. Gray with the girls and all the students over there,” he said. “She’s just a super lady. She’s a lady who always has a smile, a friendly word. She’s the type of lady that’ll always help you.”

Angela McDougald has served as a good officer since she began working with the department, Whittington said.

“She’s a great employee,” he said. “She works great in the school system. Everybody thinks the world of her.”

Through his acquaintance with the McDougalds, Whittington also knew of Kajie McDougald volunteering as a mentor and with the Boys and Girls Club.

“Something snapped, and whatever it was it set him off,” Whittington said of the multiple shootings.

The shooting of Angela McDougald’s children seems to have been an act of aggression intended to inflict the greatest possible emotional trauma, he said.

Before Monday there had been no calls of domestic disturbances at the couple’s home, 911 and law enforcement officials said.

Bakari McDougald and Grimsley will be among those remembered during the annual candlelight vigil for domestic violence victims and their families that will be held on Thursday.

“It’s going to be awful,” said Blue Hackle, executive director of Serenity House, the county’s domestic violence shelter. “We’re certainly going to recognize the fact that this did just happen to these two babies, that the did lose their lives.”

Hackle said she also has been in contact with the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which has pledged to offer support to the McDougald family.

“We’re going to make contact with her, when the time’s right, to let her know we’re there if there’s anything we can do,” she said. “This breaks my heart as a mother. I can’t even begin to imagine.”

Karen Ambrose, victim’s advocate for the Colquitt County District Attorney’s Office, said she could not discuss this specific case, but said that assistance for domestic violence victims also is available through other sources.

Assistance through the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, can include funds for funerals, medical expenses, counseling and other expenses, she said. The program is funded through fines paid to federal courts.

A wreath with a ribbon reading "We will miss you" and photo of Quentin Grimsley is being displayed at C.A. Gray Junior High since the slaying of the 15-year-old student.

A wreath of flowers and a photo helps C.A. Gray Junior High students remember slain school mate Quentin Grimsley.

The bright wreath was in the lobby of the main office on Wednesday afternoon, but was placed in the cafeteria Tuesday and Wednesday, Principal Todd Cason said.