“Gun violence is out of control and we’re going to put an end to it in Atlanta,” Mayor Andre Dickens said during a news conference about the arrest of a suspect in the drive-by shooting of a 6-month-old boy.
Atlanta Police arrested a suspect Dequasie Little, 22, in Decatur and said they are continuing to look for others involved in Monday’s incident in the Dixie Hills neighborhood. Little has been charged with felony murder and assault.
“We’re confident that we have the shooter and we’re looking to gather more individuals that were involved,” APD Chief Rodney Bryant said during the press conference.
Grayson Matthew Fleming-Gray was shot Jan. 24 around 2:30 p.m. while riding in a vehicle driven by his mother at the Food Mart at 202 Anderson Ave. in northwest Atlanta.
The preliminary investigation found that the child was shot during a drive-by incident but was not the intended target. The child was taken to the hospital but died of his injuries.
APD released video earlier Tuesday of a vehicle being sought in connection with the incident. The vehicle in question (the second vehicle seen in the footage below) appears to be a grey or white Jeep SUV.
Anyone with additional information on the case can submit a tip anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at (404) 577-8477 or online www.crimestoppersatlanta.org or by texting CSA and the tip to CRIMES (274637). Persons do not have to give their name or any identifying information to be eligible for the reward of up to $5,000.
The baby’s death is the city’s 12th homicide for 2022 and the 11th attributed to a shooting.
Dist. 3 Atlanta City Councilman Byron Amos, who represents the neighborhood, said in a statement that he was “deeply disturbed” by the incident.
“Safety in our city must remain a top priority and I will continue to work with my colleagues on the council and the community to make sure that this violence stops not only in my district, but throughout our city. I’m very appreciative of the Atlanta Police Department in arresting a suspect, and I want to express my gratitude for their hard work and due diligence in this case,” Amos said.
Fulton County Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman, said in a statement that “being sad is not enough” in the wake of the shooting. “Hearts and prayers are not enough either. We need action. We as elected leaders need to step up and stop talking and start doing something about this upward tick in senseless gun violence.”
Check back for additional details on this developing story.