A man shot and killed outside a DeKalb County gas station has been identified as a missing Georgia State University student, police said Friday.
Jason Williams, 24, was last seen near his Ellenwood home about 4 p.m. Tuesday, his father said in a Facebook post. About 30 minutes later, he was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Citgo gas station on Columbia Drive, which is off I-20 near Decatur, DeKalb police spokeswoman Shiera Campbell told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
It would be three days before his family found out their son was killed.
On the day of the fatal shooting, authorities attempted to make a next-of-kin notification at Williams’ home, but his father was out of town, Campbell said. And unbeknownst to police, Williams’ mother lived in Gwinnett County.
“Mom and son talked everyday and she hadn’t heard from him,” Campbell said. William’s mother filed a missing person’s report with police Thursday. Just 24 hours later, she would find out he was dead.
Williams and another man drove to the gas station, went inside the convenience store and purchased gas, Campbell said. Shortly after, they left the store, pumped gas and got back in the car, the other man fired shots at Williams, police said.
“Something happened within at matter of minutes and (Williams) was shot and killed,” Campbell said.
Williams stumbled out of the car and collapsed in the parking lot, police said.
Surveillance footage was released of the men in the convenience store just moments before the shooting. The man identified by police as the shooter is seen wearing a red shirt. He has not been found.
It is unclear what led to the shooting. No other details were released about the incident.
Williams was a sophomore majoring in business administration at Georgia State’s Clarkston campus, school spokeswoman Andrea Jones told The AJC.
“Jason had informed his parents about a job orientation he was scheduled to go to that Wednesday morning,” his father said in the Facebook post. “However, he never made it to the job orientation, and all calls began going straight to his voicemail.”
Williams’ father, who shares the same name, asked for prayers in another post Friday afternoon.
“We want to thank you all for your powerful prayers and fast communications, and ask that you continue to be our prayer warriors during this most difficult time,” he said.
About the Author
