Investigators have identified a second suspect tied to a recent triple homicide at the Brannon Hill Condominiums in DeKalb County.
Six people were wounded, three of them fatally, during a May 8 shooting at the blighted complex along Old Hampton Drive.
DeKalb police arrested 25-year-old Ofieo Ojego last week on charges of murder and aggravated assault. Deputies with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office’s fugitive task force are now searching for Ajang Ruach, 21, in connection with the deadly shooting.
The agency is asking for the public’s help to locate Ruach. Investigators have indicated he faces three counts of murder.
The three victims were found dead when police arrived at the Brannon Hill complex about 7:50 p.m. Paramedics rushed two others to the hospital in serious condition. A sixth victim showed up at the hospital later in serious condition, according to authorities.
DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office Director Patrick Bailey identified the three deceased victims as Alsadig Awad, a 43-year-old Clarkston man; Masi Maybay, 22, of Clarkston; and Jory Fasse, a 23-year-old Roswell man. DeKalb police Assistant Chief Gregory Patrick said the survivors are doing better.
During a Public Safety committee meeting Tuesday, Padrick said the shooting was the result of a dispute that began days before at the complex. He did not get into details about the dispute and said there is no video surveillance available.
According to warrants obtained by The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Ojego allegedly shot aimlessly using a 9mm Beretta handgun into an apartment filled with people. Two of the three deceased victims were shot in the head while seated in chairs, while the third was shot multiple times on different parts of his body, police said.
Anyone with information on Ruach’s whereabouts is asked to contact the fugitive task force by calling Crime Stoppers of Atlanta at 404-577-8477.
Public Safety Committee Chairman and District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry expressed his frustration multiple times during Tuesday’s meeting about the county’s inaction to address Brannon Hill, going back to his term as Clarkston mayor.
Credit: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office
Credit: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office
Community Development Department Director Allen Mitchell ran through a list of things the county has done since 2017 in an attempt to help residents at Brannon Hill, including providing assistance following fires, providing food, repairing a sink hole and demolishing buildings. Between July 2017 and May 2019, 132 units were demolished.
More recently, Mitchell said the outreach team responded following a fire in January to assist any residents in need and a Point In Time Count was conducted in February. Mitchell said the pandemic impacted the ability for the blight removal to continue since court orders are needed to demolish buildings due to the units being private property.
Chief Operating Officer Zach Williams said they are helping residents, most of whom are immigrants and refugees, by providing food on a regular basis. Williams said he would be willing to approve a request by a community group to waive the landfill fee to allow them to remove trash that has accumulated throughout the property.
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Code Enforcement Director Timothy Hardy said the sites of the demolished buildings have become dumping grounds for all types of trash. Hardy said there is no cameras and no way to determine who has been illegally dumping on the property.
Hardy said two buildings have been identified as ready to be demolished. County attorney Viviane Ernstes said they plan to file civil lawsuits seeking to demolish them soon in order to have a hearing in magistrate court in June.
Hardy said one of the buildings was destroyed due to a fire and the second was damaged by a fire but is still standing. Both are vacant.
