Atlanta water boy shot and killed in Midtown | Suspect in court

ATLANTA — The suspect accused of murdering a teenager killed while selling water will appear in a Fulton County courtroom Thursday.

In June 2020, 18-year-old Jalanni Pless was shot and killed while selling bottled water along 8th Street in Midtown. Police said he was shot over a $10 bill.

At the time, the teen’s mother said friends told her Jalanni was selling water to a customer when a teen from a different group tried to sell to the same person.

Apparently, Jalanni received the money and the other teen, Terrell Anderson, returned with a gun and started shooting, killing him.

The city’s “water boys” are known for selling bottled water to drivers stopped at red lights – usually in larger, heavier traffic areas.

Anderson will make a final plea during today’s court proceedings.

Last year, 11Alive spoke with Jalanni’s mother, Meka Pless, about her journey after her son’s death and how she is trying to honor his legacy.

RELATED: Deep dive into Atlanta’s ‘water boy’ phenomenon | Bigger than the bottle

Pless said her son was the love and light of her life. She celebrated all of her milestones, not knowing that her son’s life would be cut short.

She said her son graduated from Douglas High School and had a full-time job and a side business selling bottled water on the streets of Atlanta.

A few kilometers from their home, the teenager’s tombstone rests among the trees.

“I just hate that he’s not here,” Pless said in this 2023 interview. “I had to go sit in a cemetery. I’m just looking at his tombstone.

Since Jalanni’s death, his mother has tried to move forward, honoring his legacy while raising awareness about what happened and why selling water to Atlanta’s youth is much bigger than a bottle of water.

But when asked what intervention young people need, Pless says, “For me, it starts in the home.”

She wants parents to be aware that their children are selling water in Atlanta.

11Alive took A deep dive in the multi-layered experiences of Atlanta’s water boys, from the successes and struggles to those seeking to give more hope to young people. To watch the special, click here.