3 homeless people found fatally shot in Atlanta within 2 weeks, police say

Atlanta police investigated a shooting at the intersection of Pryor and Rawson streets Monday morning.

Atlanta police investigated a shooting at the intersection of Pryor and Rawson streets Monday morning.

Investigators are looking into a string of deaths after three homeless people were found fatally shot in Atlanta within a two-week span.

The most recent victim was located Monday at the intersection of Pryor and Rawson streets about 10 a.m. A woman was shot multiple times with a handgun, Atlanta police spokeswoman Capt. D’Andrea Price said at the scene. The victim’s name has not been released.

Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots and seeing a man leave the scene.

Credit: JOHN SPINK/ JSPINK@AJC.COM

icon to expand image

Credit: JOHN SPINK/ JSPINK@AJC.COM

Witnesses told AJC.com the fatal shooting happened inside a tent. Isidro Rivera, who was working with a crew across the street at the time of the incident, said he heard five to 10 gunshots. He said he saw a man leave the tent, tuck a gun into his backpack and walk away.

Rivera said a few minutes later he looked inside the tent and saw a “lady full of blood” with gunshot shells near her body.

“It was a close range,” he said. “Real close.”

The shooting was witnessed, but investigators have only a vague description of the shooter at this time, Price said.

On June 1, 45-year-old Timothy Smith was found shot to death under a bridge on Piedmont Avenue. Witnesses told police the man occasionally slept under the overpass.

RELATED: Man's shooting death ruled homicide in Old Fourth Ward

The body of another man who had been shot was found under the I-20 overpass near the 300 block of Ted Turner Drive on Friday morning, AJC.com previously reported.

MORE: Man found shot to death under I-20 overpass in downtown Atlanta

At a news conference Monday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said police know the first two shootings are connected and believe the most recent incident is related.

Bottoms described the suspect as being about 5-foot-10 and weighing about 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark ball cap, a long sleeve white T-shirt and dark jeans.

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.

In other news: 

The March for Justice peaceful protest is expected to begin at 9 a.m. Monday