Atlanta police arrested a suspect late last week in connection with a targeted drive-by shooting that left a woman dead in a car with her toddler, officials said.

Jamal Baker, 23, was arrested Friday on multiple charges, including murder, Atlanta police announced Tuesday. He is also accused of second-degree cruelty to children. Baker was booked into the Fulton County Jail on Saturday and remains there without bond.

The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as 21-year-old Ne’Jah Cox of Atlanta. Her toddler was found unhurt.

The car’s third occupant was a man in the driver’s seat, police said. He was not injured and police did not share his identity.

The shooting took place on Center Street around 2 a.m. May 18. Police said three men began firing at the car as it rolled by, striking Cox. She was pronounced dead near the scene after the driver called 911.

Baker is the first suspect to be arrested. Police have not said if the other two suspected shooters had been identified.

Online jail records show that Baker has a history of arrests. He is also charged with multiple gang counts, two counts of violating his probation and other violent crimes stemming from separate incidents, according to jail records.

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

About the Author

Keep Reading

Atlanta police homicide commander Lt. Andrew Smith speaks alongside Deonta Wallace's daughter, Heaven, and parents Victor and Veronica Wallace on Wednesday. (Courtesy of Atlanta Police Department)

Credit: Atlanta Police Department

Featured

In 2022, Georgia Power projected its winter peak electricity demand would grow by about 400 megawatts by 2031. Since then, Georgia has experienced a boom of data centers, which require a large load of electricty to run, and Georgia Power's recent forecast shows peak demand growing by 20 times the 400-megawatt estimate from just three years ago. (Illustration by Philip Robibero/AJC)

Credit: Illustration: Philip Robibero / AJC