Gwinnett County police are working to determine if a rifle found near the scene of a fatal, possibly road rage-related incident fired the shot that left a Snellville man dead.
Michael J. Harvey, 39, was found lying in a northbound lane of Button Gwinnett Drive around 8:30 p.m. Thursday. He'd been shot once in the chest, and he died after being taken to the hospital.
According to an incident report obtained Wednesday, witnesses pointed police toward two nearby vehicles, both of which "appeared to have been involved in an accident." Investigators discovered that one of the vehicles, a Honda Odyssey minivan, had been reported stolen out of Mobile, Alabama.
No suspect was at the scene, but K9 officers did discover a rifle "a few yards away from the minivan," according to the incident report.
Gwinnett County police spokesman Cpl. Michele Pihera said Wednesday, however, that it was too early to "determine positively" if the rifle was used in the shooting.
She also said detectives haven't yet "settled on one theory" for the incident. As of Wednesday morning, no suspects had been identified or apprehended.
"It's possible it could be road rage-related," Pihera said, "but we welcome any tips or information about any explanation."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Gwinnett County police at 770-513-5300. Tipsters can also remain anonymous — and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000 —by visiting crimestoppersatlanta.org or calling 404-577-8477.
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