The family of a man killed while leaving an Atlanta nightclub parking lot said he fought with a robber before being shot Tuesday morning.
Anthony J. Freeman, 26, was shot at least once outside the Blue Ivory club, Dennis Freeman, the victim's father, said by phone from Detroit. Dennis Freeman said police told him his son and a friend were followed out of the club.
The suspect apparently told Anthony Freeman to get out of the car, and the two scuffled.
Officers responded to the incident just before 6:30 a.m. on Whitehall Street, where they found Freeman shot at least once, Atlanta homicide commander Lt. Charles Hampton said.
The suspect left in a car after the shooting, police said.
Officers are working to get video of the incident and interviewing the friend who was with Freeman at the time of the shooting.
Hampton said the robber initially targeted the friend and pulled out a handgun.
“Something may have happened inside the club, and these two guys were followed outside the club,” he said. “But again, we just need to get some more information from the surviving witness to find out exactly what happened for sure.”
Crime Scene Investigators and the Fulton County Medical Examiner arrived on the scene before 8 a.m.
Dennis Freeman said his son is from Detroit but moved to Atlanta about three years ago and had recently been on a temporary layoff from a moving company. Two days ago, Dennis Freeman said his son talked about going home for Christmas.
"He was a great young man. Everybody in his family loved him," Dennis Freeman said. "I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I won't talk to him again."
