24-year-old man arrested in Atlanta for shooting death of Milton gas station clerk

Authorities have made an arrest in the shooting death of 40-year-old Lee Ann Kysun Parker, a gas station clerk at the Tom Thumb gas station and convenience store on Glover Lane in Milton who was killed during a robbery.

Hakeem Denarious Peterson, 24, was arrested Monday morning in Decatur, Georgia. Milton Police Chief Tony Tindell announced the arrest at a press conference Monday afternoon. 

Peterson will be extradited to Florida as soon as possible, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins. A grand jury will convene to determine if Peterson's alleged crime amounts to first-degree premeditated murder. 

Police said Peterson shot and killed Parker during a robbery at the gas station in the early morning hours of Sept. 15. He made off with a sum of cash, though authorities did not disclose how much. 

A warrant was obtained for his arrest within 48 hours of the alleged crime, and he was arrested Monday without incident during a traffic stop outside Atlanta. 

Tindell called Parker's death a "senseless crime" that rocked the community.

“(Parker’s) family showed great patience with us and let us do our job,” Tindell said. “I know it’s very difficult, and she has worked at that store for a good while. Just about every one of my officers knew her, and I knew her. She wasn’t just an unknown victim, she was a friend to me and my department.”

Annie Blanks can be reached at ablanks@pnj.com or 850-435-8632.