One teen is accused in a Savannah mall shooting tied to a woman’s death; the other is charged in a Bloomingdale killing of a 17-year-old visitor.
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Two teenage brothers with the same name, both sons of a convicted killer, are now charged in separate homicide cases in coastal Georgia, one linked to the July 2 Oglethorpe Mall shooting and another to a Dec. 14 killing in Bloomingdale, authorities say.
The cases have reignited public concern about youth gun violence and gang activity while stitching together a striking family thread: a father incarcerated on separate charges and two sons, ages 16 and 17, booked in different deaths months apart. Prosecutors say the older brother is among six co-defendants now under a sweeping indictment tied to the mall shootout and the subsequent death of Olislene “Tina” Smith. The younger brother, arrested days before New Year’s, is accused of killing 17-year-old Antonio “TJ” Thornton Jr., a high school senior visiting relatives. Both cases are now moving through Chatham County courts, with hearings expected in February.
Investigators say the mall case unfolded July 2 inside Oglethorpe Mall, where rival groups opened fire, wounding three people by gunfire and sending others to the hospital for medical emergencies as shoppers fled. Smith, 69, was among those who ran; she later died around midnight July 3 after suffering heart complications, according to police and public statements from city officials. In late summer, the 17-year-old suspect, identified as Franklin Leonard James Jr., turned himself in on July 31 and was later folded into a 71-count indictment with five others. “We will hold those responsible,” Savannah’s mayor said in early July, reflecting a city still on edge as detectives gathered surveillance, shell casings and statements from dozens of witnesses.
By contrast, the Bloomingdale killing came at night on Dec. 14 outside a Chatham County apartment complex. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says Antonio “TJ” Thornton Jr., 17, of Loganville, was shot while visiting family for the holidays. Within days, the GBI charged a 16-year-old Savannah boy — also named Franklin Leonard James Jr., eight months younger than his brother — with felony murder, aggravated assault and armed robbery. A second teen, 17-year-old Terrance Devon Green of Pooler, was later booked into the Chatham County Detention Center on the same counts. The younger James is held at a youth detention facility; no booking photo has been released.
Their father, 46-year-old Franklin Leonard James Sr., is listed in jail records as affiliated with the Cuyler/Brownsville gang. He was convicted in 2013 after a 2011 police chase that ended in crashes, an emergency C-section and the death of a two-day-old girl. He served roughly 11 years and was released in May 2024. Since then, he has been re-arrested multiple times on charges that include disrupting school operations, fleeing officers, drug trafficking counts and possession of a stolen gun, according to local jail logs. He has remained in custody since June; the mall shooting happened 18 days after that arrest, and a February court date is posted in one of his pending cases.
In court, defense attorneys for the older teen have argued the mall episode was a robbery gone wrong and have pushed back on gang allegations embedded in the sprawling indictment. Five co-defendants pleaded not guilty in November; a sixth entered a not-guilty plea Dec. 2. Prosecutors added felony murder tied to Smith’s death after police and the district attorney’s office said her heart attack was brought on by the chaos as gunfire erupted. The indictment also lists weapons offenses and gang counts that could add decades if jurors convict. A judge denied bond for the 17-year-old two weeks ago, keeping him in the Chatham County jail ahead of a February setting.
For the Bloomingdale case, GBI agents say the investigation is active. They have not publicly detailed the motive, caliber of weapon, or who fired which shot. Thornton’s relatives describe him as a senior who planned to study engineering; mourners in Gwinnett County held a graduation-themed gathering with his cap-and-gown photo centered on the table. The GBI announced Dec. 27 that the 16-year-old suspect had been arrested; two days later, agents said Green, 17, was also charged. Both face felony murder, aggravated assault and armed robbery. Authorities have not announced additional suspects, and charging documents remain limited pending grand jury action.
Records and prior reporting show the brothers have intersected with police before. A Savannah report from April describes a dispute over a missing 9mm pistol involving the teens and a cousin; no arrests were made at the time. Within the Savannah Police Department, the older boy is often listed as “King” and the younger as “Frank,” a shorthand used to distinguish two minors who share the same first, middle and last name — and the same suffix. The teens have different mothers but the same father. They are booked into different facilities, with the younger held by juvenile authorities and the older in the county jail with his co-defendants.
Legal timelines now diverge. In the mall case, discovery is underway, surveillance from inside the shopping center has been collected, and prosecutors say the July 2 gunfire triggered a cascade of charges that will go before a jury. A pretrial calendar call is expected in February. In the Bloomingdale homicide, the GBI continues to develop evidence while coordinating with the district attorney; grand jurors could hear the case in early 2026, depending on lab work and witness availability. Hearings for James Sr. on his separate narcotics and property damage case are also scheduled for February, keeping three branches of the family’s legal troubles in motion at once.
The grief is most vivid where the cases began. At Oglethorpe Mall, employees recall the SWAT-led evacuation as shoppers hid behind counters. Smith’s obituary lists a large family and a church funeral earlier in July. Outside the Bloomingdale apartments, residents say patrols have increased since the shooting; Thornton’s mother thanked supporters for showing up as the family marked milestones her son will miss. “He wanted to build things,” a relative said, describing a teenager who talked about engineering school and summer plans before a trip that ended with a midnight notification.
As of Wednesday afternoon, both brothers remain in custody. The older James is due back in Chatham County Superior Court in February with his five co-defendants in the mall case. The younger James’ charges will move through juvenile court procedures with possible transfer decisions to come. The next confirmed milestone is a February docket setting in the mall case; GBI updates in the Bloomingdale homicide are expected as lab reports return.
Author note: Last updated December 31, 2025.