Atlanta police are trying to find the person who shot a local father 11 times, killing the man as he checked two flat tires.
His father is calling the shooting “a hit.”
Justin Edwards, 34, of Decatur, was shot late Saturday as he and his girlfriend headed home after dinner at Cafe Circa, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Channel 2 Action News
Channel 2 Action News
When officers got to the scene in the 600 block of Memorial Drive in southeast Atlanta about 11:20 p.m., they found Edwards with multiple gunshot wounds in a parking lot, Officer Lisa Bender said. His girlfriend was not injured.
Edwards was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he died.
Witnesses told police Edwards pulled into the parking lot to check on his rear tires, which were both flat, Bender said.
“While checking on the tires,” Bender said, “an unknown suspect approached and shot the victim.”
The shooter ran east on Memorial Drive after the shooting.
Atlanta police told Channel 2 on Monday that they believe Edwards' tires were “purposefully cut.” They are trying to determine if there was some type of disagreement at the club.
“We have several versions of what happened,” Capt. Reginald Moorman told the news station.
Edwards’ father, a DeKalb County activist who has fought to curb gun violence for years, believes his son was set up, he told Channel 2.
"No doubt in my mind somebody slashed his tires," Joe Edwards said. "I don't know why somebody would want to do that, but we gonna find out."
Justin Edwards, a logistics manager at Lockheed Martin, leaves behind a 4-year-old son, his brother told Channel 2.
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