Antoine Stokes, 23, was shot and killed during an altercation at the Waffle House on Taos Drive in Hephzibah, Georgia. A Martinez resident and father to a young son named Zyleek, Stokes was taken to a nearby hospital after the shooting on Thursday, August 21, 2025, but did not survive his injuries.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office identified two people believed to be involved. A woman named Leila Bennett was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. A second person, 26-year-old Jaylen Thompson, was located and taken into custody and charged with murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Both were booked at the Richmond County Jail.

The specifics of how the incident started and what led to the shooting remain part of the ongoing investigation. Does anyone have information about that Waffle House that night or knew Antoine personally?