HALL COUNTY, Ga. — The trial against the three teenagers in the 2019 death of a Hall County sheriff's deputy continued in court Thursday with the primary focus on the Gainesville businesses who were allegedly robbed and broken into.
Surveillance video and images from the alleged July 6, 2019 thefts were shown in court, as another five business owners described their experiences.
“My doors were ripped open, glass shattered, inventory missing," the owner of a Gainesville pawn shop said.
More than 20 guns were stolen leaving that pawn shop with more than $40,000 in damages and theft. Several other items were missing including AR style weapons, shotguns, jewelry, knifes and ammunition, the owner said.
The owner said at least 19 of those guns have been recovered.
Two auto shops were also allegedly broken into that night, according to their owners. A few tools were taken at one shop and both businesses had broken windows.
Another business owner of a retail sporting store said he got a notice from his security system and arrived to find his doorknob had been broken but no one was able to get inside.
Additionally, a DeKalb County Crime Scene Investigator's van was broken into. A radio, camera, a work belt and a bullet proof vest were taken, according to the investigator.
On the evening of July 7, 2019, Dixon attempted to stop a stolen vehicle thought to be connected to the burglaries.
The car they were chasing crashed near the intersection of Jesse Jewell Parkway and Highland Avenue in Gainesville. Authorities said several suspects ran and deputies chased them.
The chase ended in a shootout, with Dixon being killed.
Several teens were arrested in connection to the case. Three of the teens: Alexander Clements, Hector Garcia Solis and Eric Edgardo Velazquez are on trial.
Two of the defendants, Clements and Velazquez, are charged with being party to a crime. Garcia Solis is charged with felony murder.
The defense, however, suggested not all the teens deserve to be charged in this case.
The trial continues Friday.
