Bond denied for man accused of kidnapping, killing ex-girlfriend

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - An alleged kidnapping incident that started late Sunday night in Fayette County ended with the death of a 19-year-old woman outside a high school in Clayton County.

According to the Fayetteville Police Department, Sunday night at 11 p.m., Fayetteville police were dispatched to a kidnapping in progress call at the WingStop restaurant on North Glynn Street. They say several 911 calls were received advising that a man had entered the restaurant and taken his ex-girlfriend, an employee of the restaurant, at gunpoint and left in a red Chevrolet Camaro.

While responding to the call, an officer with the Fayetteville Police Department spotted a vehicle matching the description and began to follow it to confirm its involvement. They said the car sped away from the officer in the area of Banks Road in Fayetteville, which led to a vehicle pursuit that eventually left Fayette County and entered Clayton County via McDonough Road, according to officials.

Fayetteville police say the vehicle turned into the driveway of Lovejoy High School where officers performed a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle and end the pursuit. When the vehicle stopped, they said the suspect fired several shots inside the vehicle and additional shots at officers, striking their vehicle multiple times with the officers still inside. The officers were able to jump out and take cover. The officers then began giving commands for the suspect to exit the vehicle, which was ignored.

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Department says deputies deployed an irritant into the suspect’s vehicle and he jumped out and was quickly taken into custody. The female victim was located inside the vehicle with several gunshot wounds and died from her injuries.

The suspect, identified as 20-year-old Cameron Ja’Michael Hopkins, of Albany, is being charged with kidnapping and aggravated assault by the City of Fayetteville Police Department. The Clayton County Police Department is handling the homicide investigation, which occurred inside Clayton County, and additional charges are expected there.

Clayton County police say Hopkins is accused of kidnapping the same victim exactly one year ago to the day. Lovejoy police responded to the Walmart parking lot on July 17, 2022, after reports of a man abducting a woman, identified as 18-year-old Khaliyah Jones. Hopkins, who was 19 years old at the time, broke her car window and forced her into his car at gunpoint. Officials said Hopkins was angry over the relationship ending and threatened to kill Jones if police tried to pull him over.

Jones was eventually able to escape Hopkins’ car during the 2022 kidnapping incident and run to a nearby business for help. With help from Albany police, Hopkins and one other man involved were later arrested in Albany and transported back to the Clayton County Jail on multiple felony charges in connection to that case.

Hopkins made his first court appearance Tuesday morning on charges of murder with malice, aggravated assault, aggravated assault on a police officer, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime. He was denied bond. A preliminary hearing was set for Aug. 7 at 8:30 a.m.

This investigation is ongoing. If you have any information that could help investigators, contact the Clayton County Police Department or the Fayetteville Police Department.

Copyright 2023 WANF. All rights reserved.