A man was arrested Friday and accused of one of the three armed carjackings that took place in the last eight days near the Atlanta University Center complex, police said.
Jonathan McGahee, 24, was arrested in the 900 block of Sellers Avenue in connection with the carjacking of a Morehouse College student on Tuesday, Atlanta police said in a Facebook post.
IN-DEPTH: Atlanta carjackings down this year, but latest 3 concern police
The incident, which was the second in the string of carjackings, allegedly involved McGahee approaching 19-year-old student Deaven Rector’s car on Founders Drive and asking if he’d like to buy drugs, police said.
When Rector declined, McGahee allegedly pulled out a handgun and stole the student’s possessions and car, police said.
McGahee waived his first court appearance Saturday and did not receive bond, said Fulton County sheriff’s spokeswoman Tracy Flanagan.
MORE: Second Morehouse College student carjacked after leaving campus library
Rector’s car was later found at an apartment complex on Baldwin Street, AJC.com previously reported.
Police said the three carjackings aren’t related and were committed by different individuals. McGahee isn’t involved with the other incidents, police said.
RELATED: Atlanta police say latest 3 carjackings, shootings not related
He’s been charged with armed robbery, carjacking a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to Fulton County Jail records.
The first carjacking took place Sept. 27 outside the Westview Drive apartments, AJC.com previously reported.
Justin Clark, a 20-year-old political science major at Morehouse College, told police he was ambushed by two men when he returned from a fast food run at 4 a.m. after studying at the library.
Because his car was stolen, he nearly missed a relative’s funeral in New Orleans, but a Morehouse College alumnus’ daughter in Detroit saw reports of the incident and bought him a plane ticket.
RELATED: Flight paid for Morehouse student to attend relative's funeral after carjacking
The third incident involved a Lyft driver, Imani Dawson, being carjacked after he dropped off a passenger at the Ashley Collegetown apartment on Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard on Wednesday morning, AJC.com previously reported.
RELATED: Lyft driver is 3rd victim in rash of carjackings near Morehouse College
Two days before the first carjacking, Daeja Craddick, a freshman at Clark Atlanta University, was shot and paralyzed while driving on Lucile Avenue, AJC.com previously reported.
Atlanta police said they believe she was targeted, but they aren’t “prepared at this time to disclose the motive.”
MORE: 'It's just devastating': Parents react to Clark Atlanta daughter being shot, paralyzed
Atlanta police said they have increased patrols in the area and are working closely with campus law enforcement after these incidents.
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