Decatur has first homicide since 2014

The shooting death of a 52-year-old man Wednesday morning was Decatur’s first homicide since December 2014, police said.

The victim was Gerard Foster, Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Nelly Miles said. Foster’s body was found in a stairwell of an apartment building in the 200 block of Robin Street, Decatur police spokeswoman Jennifer Ross said. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Police have made no arrests and the exact number of people wanted in connection with the shooting was not known, she said.

“The city of Decatur is a small, close-knit community with a low crime rate in comparison to the areas that we border,” Ross said of the low murder rate. “Our police department and community members work together to address the crime that we do have and to tackle small problems before they become large problems.”

Channel 2 Action News reported that Foster was recently married and was a recently ordained deacon in a Decatur church.

The GBI is assisting Decatur police with the investigation, Ross said. Anyone with information can contact Decatur police at (404) 373-6551 or Crime Stoppers at (404) 577-8477.