A man was shot to death at the Georgia State MARTA station Tuesday afternoon, police said, the second shooting near the downtown Atlanta university campus since early Sunday.
MARTA police are investigating the gunfire, which erupted around 1:20 p.m. at the station on Piedmont Avenue. Police said the victim was struck near a bench. His identity was not released.
A male suspect was taken into custody and the scene remains active, MARTA police Sgt. Deneya Littles confirmed. No university students are believed to have been involved in the incident.
“We definitely do have the station closed off on the inside,” Littles said.
Less than 60 hours earlier, four people, including two 18-year-old Georgia State students, were injured in a shooting near campus about a half-mile from the MARTA station.
University President M. Brian Blake said those victims were shot around 5 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of John Wesley Dobbs Avenue and Courtland Street following a nearby incident in which “non-GSU individuals” exchanged gunfire. A woman was taken to the hospital in critical condition, while three others took themselves to the hospital before officers arrived, police said.
On Monday, university leaders discussed plans to add more security measures on campus, including more lighting, cameras and call boxes. Blake said officers will be increasing patrols in the area.
Georgia State has more than 51,000 students at all of its metro Atlanta campuses. The university has grown significantly but has also grappled with crime.
“Our students should feel safe in all spaces on campus. I really want them to feel that way,” Blake said.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, Littles said investigators were still gathering information about what led to the shooting at the MARTA station.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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