1 arrested after man fatally shot in front of his mother in Gwinnett
One of two men involved in a suspected drug-related shooting Sunday in Gwinnett County has been arrested, authorities said.
Benny Thomas Gary, 26, of Snellville, was taken into custody in DeKalb County after he was identified as a suspect in the killing of 20-year-old Rasheed Joseph, Gwinnett police said. Joseph’s mother had driven him to the location on McCalla Court and watched as he was shot in the passenger seat, according to police.
Gary was booked into the Gwinnett jail early Friday morning, online records show. He remains there without bond with holds for unrelated charges from multiple other agencies, including the Georgia Department of Corrections and the sheriff’s offices of Bleckley, Chatham and Richmond counties.
The incident began when Joseph’s mother drove him to McCalla Court, a heavily wooded street south of Snellville with few houses in the area. When they arrived, a man got into their back seat and shot Joseph in the chest, then took the cash from his pocket, police said.
A second man came out of the woods carrying a gun in each hand, according to the incident report. Joseph’s mother begged the men not to shoot her as they continued to demand money from her son, the report said. She was eventually able to flee in their car and call for help at a gas station.
Joseph was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and died there the following day, police said.
Police did not say how Gary was identified as a suspect, but he was later located on Jonesboro Road in DeKalb and arrested by a Gwinnett SWAT unit. The other man involved in the incident has not been publicly identified, and police did not say if they had any leads on his whereabouts.
Gary has a long criminal history and has spent most of the past six years in state prison on a variety of charges. According to the DOC, he has been convicted on charges of driving under the influence, fleeing or eluding police, obstruction, possession of methamphetamines and weapons, among others.
The investigation into Joseph’s killing remains open, police said. Anyone with information is asked to contact Gwinnett police detectives at 770-513-5300. Tipsters can remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
About the Author
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.
