A man pleaded guilty Monday to fatally shooting a security guard outside a now-shuttered downtown Atlanta hookah bar in 2022.
Damon John-Michael Wilson agreed to plead guilty to the lesser offense of voluntary manslaughter in connection with the killing of Tyshon Ross, 28, at the Encore Hookah Bar and Bistro on Feb. 2 of that year.
That night, Wilson had been booted out of the Luckie Street bar and got into a fight with Ross outside the building, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. Officials did not say why Wilson was kicked out of the venue, but once outside, he shot Ross, prosecutors have contended.
Ross died at Grady Memorial Hospital, and Wilson was arrested nearly two weeks later.
In addition to voluntary manslaughter, he also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, simple battery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to Fulton County Superior Court officials.
Wilson was sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Aaliyah Strong, who had been engaged to Ross, told the news station that the trial date had been postponed multiple times.
“If we can make it through this trial and get the verdict that we hope for, that will be a good holiday wish for us,” Strong told Channel 2 on Sunday.
Wilson’s guilty plea was entered just before jury selection was set to begin Monday.
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