A RaceTrac gas station and convenience store near the Georgia State University campus was shut down on Sunday after a string of violent incidents, including the murder of a 21-year-old man just hours before.
The Atlanta-based corporation closed the store on Piedmont Avenue for the safety of its employees and customers and due to the financial impact the incidents were having, according to RaceTrac CEO Natalie Morhous.
“I am deeply saddened by the recent senseless acts of violence at and near this store,” Morhous said in a statement to WABE. “As an Atlanta-based business, we did not reach this decision lightly.”
“We know how important our stores are to the community: They are open to guests 24/7/365, they create local jobs, they generate taxes, and play a critical role in the states in which they operate,” she added. “However, RaceTrac can only be successful when our stores are safe for our team members and our guests.”
Atlanta police responded to the RaceTrac around 12:30 p.m. Sunday in reference to a person shot multiple times. The victim was alert and breathing at the time but was later pronounced dead on the scene by medical personnel.
Georgia State University President Brian Blake issued a letter on the school’s website after the incident, saying that a fight between two groups escalated to gunfire. None of those involved in the incident is a Georgia State student or staff member, according to Blake.
“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,” Blake said. “We will continue to make strides in enhancing and defining our campus and securing our spaces.”
Atlanta police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect and person of interest in relation to Sunday’s shooting. The suspect was seen wearing a black jacket, and the person of interest was in a red hoody. They released surveillance footage seen below.
Anyone with information about the incident is being asked to call Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477. Those providing information do not have to provide their name or any identifying information, and they will be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
That RaceTrac location has become infamous among Georgia State students for several shootings and criminal activity that have occurred since it opened in 2019.
