DeKalb County police were investigating a fatal shooting early Monday at an extended stay motel near Stone Mountain.

The shooting happened about 5 a.m. at the Savannah Suites in the 4800 block of Memorial Drive.

DeKalb police Lt. Mark Lavigne said officers responding to a call about unknown trouble found the victim, a black male believed to be in his mid-30s to early 40s, dead on a landing outside a second-floor room. He had been shot at least once.

Investigators have not determined the man’s identity, and are “not sure if he stayed here or not, if he was a patron of the hotel,” Lavigne told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“Some people that we’ve spoken with have described hearing a scuffle, and some people described hearing some thuds, but nothing as to gunshots,” he said.

Asked if detectives had ruled out suicide, Lavigne said, “it’s going to be a homicide.”

The parking lot of the motel just north of Rockbridge Road remained cordoned off with police tape at 6:30.

Police have not released a description of a suspect.

Return to ajc.com for updates.