On October 27, 2023, a dispute at a RaceTrac convenience store near Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta erupted into gunfire. Nineteen-year-old De’Asia De-De Shyann Hart, described as an innocent bystander, was struck along with three other unintended victims; the others suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Hart, a recent high school graduate who hoped to become a lawyer and was the mother of a one-year-old daughter, was critically wounded and died on November 5, 2023.

The Atlanta Police Department released surveillance showing three persons of interest, including a man in a purple hoodie who is believed to have brought a gun to the scene and discarded the weapon and his sweatshirt afterward. Authorities say at least two other people returned fire. As of early 2024 no arrests have been announced and a reward of $5,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest.

Hart’s family has called for justice and stricter gun control, raised concerns about unanswered 911 calls that they say delayed emergency care, and announced plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the RaceTrac and the ownership of a nearby apartment complex alleging inadequate security. The RaceTrac at the location permanently closed in February 2024 after a separate fatal shooting.

If anyone witnessed the shooting or saw the individuals in the surveillance footage that night, please share what you know with investigators.