3 Bystanders Injured in Shootout at Atlanta Gas Station, Suspect Arrested

On Tuesday evening, a shootout between two groups at a gas station in DeKalb County, Georgia left three innocent bystanders injured. The incident occurred around 8:23 pm at a Circle K gas station on the 2000 block of Candler Road, where surveillance video captured the violent altercation.

According to police, two groups of people began shooting at each other after an argument in the gas station parking lot. In the crossfire, two male victims, aged 32 and 44, were shot and taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A third victim, a 39-year-old man, suffered a graze wound but did not require hospitalization.

Investigators have arrested 34-year-old Darius Morris in connection with the shooting and charged him with three counts of aggravated assault. At the time of his arrest, Morris was out on bond in a 2020 murder case. A judge has denied bond for Morris on the new assault charges and ordered him to remain in jail until a bond hearing scheduled for early May.

One of the injured bystanders, Atif Ray, was shot twice while sitting in his car at the gas station. "I was just pumping gas, minding my own business," Ray said from his hospital bed, where he is recovering from his injuries.

Surveillance footage from the scene shows at least four men involved in the shootout, with one of the gunmen appearing to brandish an AK-47 style rifle. The video captured the moment the gunfight erupted, transforming the gas station parking lot into what police described as a "zone of terror" for the uninvolved individuals caught in the hail of bullets.

Why this matters: The brazen shootout at a busy gas station highlights the ongoing problem of gun violence in American cities and the danger it poses to innocent bystanders. The incident also raises questions about the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, as the main suspect was out on bond for a previous murder charge at the time of the shooting.

Police are still actively seeking the other suspects involved in the shootout. The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office has filed a motion to revoke Morris' bond in the 2020 murder case due to the new allegations. Investigators accuse Morris of fatally shooting his child's mother in that incident, though he claims it was self-defense. As the investigation into the gas station shooting continues, authorities are working to piece together the circumstances that led to the violent confrontation and bring all those responsible to justice.

Key Takeaways

• The shootout at DeKalb County gas station left three bystanders injured
• The suspect Darius Morris has been charged with 3 counts of aggravated assault
• Morris was out on bond for a 2020 murder case at the time of the shooting
• Surveillance video shows at least 4 men involved, 1 with AK-47 style rifle
• Police seeking other suspects, DA seeks to revoke Morris' bond in murder case