Crime & Public Safety

UPDATE | Grandmother killed after shots fired into SW Atlanta home

Victim was holding her 3-month-old grandson during the gunfire
Atlanta police are investigating after shots were fired into a southwest Atlanta home, killing a 57-year-old woman.
Atlanta police are investigating after shots were fired into a southwest Atlanta home, killing a 57-year-old woman.
By and John Spink
Updated Oct 24, 2023

A grandmother was killed Tuesday morning after shots were fired into her home in southwest Atlanta, authorities said.

Police said at least one gunman opened fire from the street and targeted the home in the 2000 block of Highview Road that was occupied by several people, including children.

“The suspects just shot into this house and didn’t care for life,” Atlanta police homicide commander Lt. Germain Dearlove said.

Atlanta police are investigating a fatal shooting Wednesday morning in the Beecher Hills neighborhood.
Atlanta police are investigating a fatal shooting Wednesday morning in the Beecher Hills neighborhood.

Officers responded around 5 a.m. to the residence in the Beecher Hills neighborhood and found 57-year-old woman with a gunshot wound to her body. She was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where she died.

She was identified by her family as Andrea Brown, also a mother of three, according to Channel 2 Action News.

Andrea Brown, 57, was identified by her family as the woman killed in a shooting Tuesday morning in southwest Atlanta, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Andrea Brown, 57, was identified by her family as the woman killed in a shooting Tuesday morning in southwest Atlanta, according to Channel 2 Action News.

Dearlove said up to five other family members were inside the home at the time of the shooting. The children were between 3 months and 20 years old, he added.

Brown was struck inside her room by a stray bullet and was not the intended target, police said. She was holding her 3-month-old grandson as bullets pierced through the walls, her family told the news station.

When asked if the gunfire was related to possible gang activity, Dearlove said police “were not going to hold a narrow view on it.” An investigation will be conducted into the background of the neighborhood, but the area seemed to be quiet, he said.

Police said they were looking for one or two suspects. Investigators were gathering ballistic evidence and speaking with witnesses.

Investigators take pictures of evidence after a fatal shooting Tuesday in southwest Atlanta.
Investigators take pictures of evidence after a fatal shooting Tuesday in southwest Atlanta.

“For these suspects to go and do that, not knowing who their target is. Just shooting into a house,” Dearlove said. “We can’t have these folks walking around in our city.”

— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.

About the Authors

David Aaro is a breaking news reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

John Spink is a multi-platform photojournalist with the breaking news team. He provides compelling photos, video and audio from breaking news events for the AJC and media partners WSB Channel 2 Action News & WSB Radio

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