Scared for his life and utterly bewildered, Teisha Brewley’s Uber driver called for help as his passenger was dying in the backseat of his bullet-riddled Cadillac.
Brewley, 31, was still breathing when her driver dialed 911 to report that his Escalade had taken gunfire shortly before 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. He didn’t know where he was, or who she was, or how badly she’d been hurt. Eventually, with the prodding of an emergency dispatcher, the driver ducked his head out of the SUV to check for a street sign.
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
He had stopped the SUV in the middle of Lindbergh Drive near Adina Drive, in one of the most populous stretches of the Lindridge Martin Manor neighborhood of northeast Atlanta, part of the greater Buckhead community. Outside, the street was quiet, but the driver didn’t know if the gunmen were coming back.
“Somebody shot us!” the driver said in newly released audio of the 911 call. He was scared, he said, and his thick accent made it difficult for the dispatcher to piece together what happened. “I’m an Uber driver ... somebody in my car is shot.”
Brewley was dead by the time help arrived. Multiple Guyanese news outlets identified her by an alias, Tisha Brodie. The influencer, who had more than 40,000 followers on Instagram, was originally from the South American country and performed as Tavi Baddie at Allure Atlanta, the infamous strip club on Cheshire Bridge Road.
Police investigators believe Brewley was targeted, but questions remain as to why.
Credit: Courtesy
Credit: Courtesy
Videos posted to her Instagram stories showed she was performing at Allure hours before she was killed. Atlanta police have not confirmed whether her death was connected to the club, but her Uber driver told Channel 2 Action News they were followed from Allure’s parking lot by two vehicles and fired on a little over a mile away.
The Lindridge Martin Manor Neighborhood Association said Tuesday’s shooting was the latest in a series of violent incidents to plague the Cheshire Bridge corridor, many of which have involved Allure. Earlier this month, a security guard was grazed by a bullet outside the club after trying to stop someone from breaking into cars in a neighboring lot.
While the association said police have been responsive to the neighborhood’s concerns, they have less confidence in city leaders to act decisively and said the process to address nuisances like Allure is “littered with bureaucracy.”
“This is the second shooting incident in this community in the past three weeks, and fourth in two years, however there is yet to be any result of the due cause cases brought against problem establishments,” the association’s board said in a statement, in part.
No suspects have been publicly identified in Brewley’s death, and police declined to release further details Wednesday. A candle lighting and balloon release were held Thursday night at Allure. Mourners were asked to wear pink and white in her honor.
“Right now, we are just asking anyone who saw anything, heard anything, to call Crime Stoppers, where they can remain anonymous,” police Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said during the initial investigation.
Tipsters can be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000 by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
About the Author