Atlanta police have acquired surveillance footage detailing the moments before four people, including two Georgia State University students, were recently shot and are now trying to identify several people they think may have information about the incident, officials said.
Homicide commander Lt. Germain Dearlove said during a Thursday afternoon news conference that officials are trying to identify three people he said were persons of interest in Sunday’s shooting. Those sought are not considered suspects and have not been charged.
“It’s urgent for us to identify them and get them off the streets,” Dearlove said. “Once they’re in our custody, we’ll do some interviews and interrogations and understand why they did it.”
Gunfire erupted around 5 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of John Wesley Dobbs Avenue and Courtland Street, where police said there was a large gathering. Two of the four people injured were Georgia State students. The shooting began as a disturbance involving “non-GSU individuals,” officials said.
According to lead investigator Rashard Clanton, the incident unfolded quickly. At 5:02 a.m., police said surveillance footage showed that two groups exchanged words. At 5:06 a.m., police said footage depicts a person wearing a purple hoodie walking with a firearm. A minute later, Clanton said shots rang out and the four victims were injured in the crossfire.
Two people seen running from the scene are also considered persons of interest and they may have fired back at the initial shooter, who is believed to be the person in the purple sweater, Clanton said.
Immediately after the shooting, police said footage showed the man in purple discarding his weapon and changing his clothes before fleeing.
“We have a group of individuals who found it prudent to escalate their fight,” Dearlove explained. “You can see one was walking away from it to bring a weapon back in an area where there were multiple people and decided to have a shooting at that location.”
Only one victim was found at the shooting location by officers. She remains in critical condition in the hospital as of Thursday. Two other women and a man had injuries not considered life-threatening.
Immediately following the shooting, Georgia State University President M. Brian Blake wrote in a statement that officers would be increasing patrols in the area and that the school would work with police to make the campus and surrounding areas safer. On Monday, university leaders said they would be adding more lighting, cameras and call boxes to the downtown Atlanta campus as part of a comprehensive safety plan.
Sunday’s shooting is close to where a Georgia State student was fatally shot in December. Joshua Igbinijesu, 24, was shot at the RaceTrac at 120 Piedmont Avenue in a “targeted incident,” officials said.
In April, the university placed more cameras and metal plates to deter drag racing after large crowds blocked the intersection of Courtland Street and John Wesley Dobbs Avenue and gunfire erupted.
Anyone with information about the three persons of interest is asked to contact Atlanta police at 404-577-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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