Police Investigating Fatal Shooting Near GSU Campus

A tragic incident unfolded on Sunday afternoon near the Georgia State University campus in Downtown Atlanta, resulting in the death of a 21-year-old man.

Despite being in close proximity to the GSU campus, the victim was not affiliated with the university, as confirmed by school officials.

According to the Atlanta Police Department, the authorities were alerted to a shooting at 120 Piedmont Avenue NE just before 12:45 p.m. The location, known as The Mix student apartments, is adjacent to the RaceTrac gas station, where previous shooting incidents have taken place over the last year.

Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement found the 21-year-old male victim with apparent gunshot wounds. Unfortunately, the victim was unresponsive and was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene.

The APD Homicide Unit has taken over the investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident, with the inquiry still ongoing.

GSU President M. Brian Blake issued a statement regarding the shooting, offering more insights into the event:

Dear Panther community,

I want to provide further information about the Clery Act Safety Alert sent earlier today about a shooting on Piedmont Avenue and give as much additional context as I can about this tragic incident.

Atlanta Police are investigating a fight between two groups that quickly escalated into gunfire near the RaceTrac service station around 12:30 p.m. this afternoon. One of the people involved in the fight was struck by gunfire and killed. None of the parties involved have been identified as GSU students or staff. The off-duty police officer added earlier this year inside the RaceTrac was on the scene and responded immediately.

Our campus leadership and public safety officers send our sympathy and condolences to the family of the victims. While the individuals involved were not affiliated with the university, we know these acts of violence affect us all, especially those that happen in close proximity to our campus facilities. Just after the incident, I debriefed with leadership at the RaceTrac and with city leadership, and our GSU Chief of Police maintains close contact with the Atlanta Police Department. We have made recent enhancements that added more officer monitoring and cameras, reoriented our building entrances and provided staff training, and we will assess this incident to make more impactful changes. We will continue to make strides in enhancing and defining our campus and securing our spaces. You have my commitment in continuing our proactive safety operations and to keeping our entire community informed.

This incident adds to a series of violent events near the GSU campus. In December 2022, a GSU student fell victim to a fatal shooting. Similarly, in October, four individuals, including two students and a 19-year-old woman, were shot in the area, resulting in a fatality. Furthermore, in December, another individual lost their life and another was injured in a shooting near the RaceTrac station.