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‘Not random’: Brother, sister shot to death in SW Atlanta neighborhood

A brother and sister were shot to death inside a car Friday evening in southwest Atlanta, authorities said. One person has been arrested.

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

A brother and sister were shot to death inside a car Friday evening in southwest Atlanta, authorities said. One person has been arrested.
By and
Updated Aug 24, 2021

Two siblings are dead and a man is behind bars following a double shooting Friday evening in southwest Atlanta.

Atlanta police responded to the shooting outside a home in the 1100 block of Sells Avenue about 8:45 p.m. Officers arrived to discover two people, a brother and sister, dead inside a car, Maj. D’Andrea Price told reporters at the scene.

“This appears to be targeted,” Price told Channel 2 Action News. “It’s not random.”

Cedrika Smith and Robert Bankston Jr.

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

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Credit: Channel 2 Action News

The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims as 25-year-old Robert Bankston Jr. and 35-year-old Cedrika Smith.

Friends and family members said the siblings’ deaths are “an immense loss,” according to a GoFundMe created to help cover the pair’s funeral expenses.

“All who were lucky to be in their presence will miss their radiant smiles,” the campaign organizer said.

A man detained for questioning at the scene was later charged with murder, according to Atlanta police spokesman Officer Steve Avery. LaMorris Willie Godfrey, 35, was booked into the Fulton County Jail early Saturday on charges of murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, online records show.

LaMorris Willie Godfrey

Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office

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Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office

It’s unclear how Godfrey knew Bankston and Smith, but investigators said the three were involved in some sort of fight prior to the shooting. Investigators said both victims lived in the area.

— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.

About the Authors

Henri Hollis is a reporter and restaurant critic for the Food & Dining team. Formerly a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on food and restaurants, he joined the AJC full-time in January 2021, first covering breaking news. He is a lifelong Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia Tech.

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