Atlanta police want to speak to a former Airbnb customer about a fatal shooting that occurred directly across from the apartment he rented.

Wesley Nicholas rented his unit to Eric Johnson for one week using the online service Airbnb, according to Channel 2 Action News.

About 1:05 a.m. Aug. 4, Deondre Dickerson was found in the 100 block of Cityline Avenue — directly across from Nicholas’ unit at the 251 North complex — with a gunshot wound to the upper back, Atlanta police spokesman Donald Hannah said.

Dickerson was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead about 20 minutes after he was found.

That same day, Nicholas returned home and found his apartment ransacked. Johnson was nowhere to be found.

“We’re looking to speak to Airbnb renter Mr. Eric Johnson about this murder, investigating if there’s a connection,” police Sgt. Warren Pickard told Channel 2.

Airbnb spokesman Nick Shapiro said the company is working with police on the matter.

“We have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior and have removed Mr. Johnson from our platform,” he said in a statement.

About the Author

Keep Reading

A bus waits to move over 20 unhoused persons from the Old Wheat Street encampment to the Welcome House, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Ben Hendren for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Hendren

Featured

Rebecca Ramage-Tuttle, assistant director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, says the the DOE rule change is “a slippery slope” for civil rights. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC