1 dead, 1 injured in drive-by shooting at East Point funeral home, police say

One woman was killed and a second was injured in a drive-by shooting Friday night at a funeral home, according to East Point police.

The shooting happened at Gus Thornhill’s Funeral Home, located off Gus Thornhill Jr. Drive near Cleveland Avenue, police Chief Shawn Buchanan said.

“We know it’s not random,” Buchanan told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Investigators believe a 55-year-old woman was dropping off her daughter to attend a viewing for a family member when she was shot, a police spokesperson said late Friday.

“While standing near the entrance of the funeral home, a drive-by shooting occurred involving multiple suspects who discharged firearms in the area of the property,” Sgt. Jamel Shareef said in a media release.

One woman, whose name was not released, died at the scene. Another woman was injured and treated at the scene, police said.

Detectives were searching late Friday for the alleged suspects and the vehicle involved. Buchanan said investigators believe someone inside the funeral home might have been the target.

“I feel comfortable we’ll catch them,” Buchanan said.

The shooting comes two days after two people were killed and six others were wounded outside a funeral in Salt Lake City, according to media reports.

In the Friday night shooting, the police expressed their condolences to the families involved.

“I would like to express our deepest sympathy for the families who experienced this tragedy,” Buchanan said in a media release. “It’s an outrage that cowardly individuals chose to commit such senseless acts of violence while four families attending viewings were at their most vulnerable. Our team will not rest until justice is served.”

The historic East Point funeral home has served the community for more than 40 years, according to its website. The home was founded by East Point’s first African American police officer, who spent more than 25 years in law enforcement before retiring in 1990.