Durante Schofield, Atlanta man shot 12 times by his father Durante Rowe-Tolliver, after dad believed son was reaching for a gun during argument

An Atlanta, Georgia father has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting his own son 12 times during an argument that began as an attempt to calm the younger man down.

According to police, Durante Rowe-Tolliver, 54, fatally shot his son, Durante Schofield, 32, outside the Pharr Apartments complex in Buckhead late Wednesday night. The incident began when Schofield’s girlfriend called his father for help, hoping he could de-escalate a heated argument between the couple.

The girlfriend told investigators that the dispute started earlier that evening after Schofield had crashed his car into a building and called her for assistance. When the confrontation worsened, she reached out to Rowe-Tolliver to come and calm his son down.

Atlanta Police officers arrived at the apartment around 12:22 a.m. Thursday, October 30, speaking with the girlfriend as Rowe-Tolliver arrived. The father and son appeared calm and left together, but the situation quickly reignited once they reached the parking lot.

Durante Rowe-Tolliver

Arrest warrants state that the argument continued inside a vehicle, where Schofield slammed his door in anger. His father allegedly told him to step out to “cool off.” As the two stood about 10 to 15 feet apart, Rowe-Tolliver claimed he thought his son was reaching into his waistband for a weapon — prompting him to open fire, discharging up to 12 rounds.

Officers nearby heard the gunshots and ran toward the parking lot, where they found Schofield suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police later confirmed that no firearm was found on the victim.

Investigators also reported damage to the girlfriend’s apartment, which she said occurred after she asked Schofield to leave and return his key. She clarified that he had not been physically violent toward her.

Rowe-Tolliver was arrested and charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He appeared before a judge on Friday and was denied bond.

The case has left the Buckhead community stunned — what began as an attempt to calm a family dispute ended in tragedy, with a father now accused of killing his own son.