Two victims killed in Atlanta shooting identified after female suspect arrested at airport
Suspect was detained at city’s international airport
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Officials in Atlanta, Georgia, have named two people killed in a shooting in the city’s Midtown neighbourhood while one other victim remains hospitalised.
Michael Shinners, 60, and Wesley Freeman, 41, were identified by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday as the two victims killed in the shooting that afternoon, according to local news outlets.
Shinners was one of two people shot at an apartment on 1280 West Peachtree Street, according to 11 Alive, whilst Freeman was shot at a different building less than a mile away, on 1100 Peachtree Street, Atlanta police said.
The first shooting took place in the management office at the condo building run by Beacon Management Services, where Shinners and the third victim, Mike Horne, were employees, according to CBS46 .
Although police have not confirmed their identities, Shinners was a building manager and Mr Horne’s LinkedIn suggests he is a chief engineer for the building management company, who confirmed their names and roles to WSB-TV.
“It appears the woman shot and killed the building manager,” a resident of the condo, David Lowery, wrote on Facebook following the shooting. “Also the building engineer was shot. We’ve known both of these people for years.”
The suspect, who was identified by local media reports as Raïssa Kengne, was believed to have targeted the building managers in retaliation for “allowing unauthorised individuals to break into” her apartment, according to a lawsuit seen by The Independent that was dismissed.
The lawsuit was also filed against her former employer, former colleagues, former clients, one of her neighbours, and her own lawyers for allegedly engaging in a conspiracy against her. That was in addition to Shinners, her building manager, and Freeman, who social media posts suggested was the suspect’s former boss.
Freeman died of his injuried after being taken to hospital from the scene of the second shooting carried out by the suspect at 1100 Peachtree Street, police said.
Ms Kengne was eventually arrested at Atlanta’s international airport after an official belonging to the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) spotted the suspect at the terminal building, WSB-TV reported.
“We are grateful for the assistance of our public safety partners who assisted in this situation,” the Atlanta Police Department said in a statement to the news outlet, thanking ATF.
The statement added: “With the help of our public safety partners and our extensive camera network, we were able to locate the suspect and safely apprehend her at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport.”
The suspect, who was identified by surveillance cameras at the airport, allegedly named both Shinners and Freeman, as well as the operators of her apartment, in a series of social media posts before the attack in addition to the lawsuit.
“We do not believe these were random acts of violence,” interim Atlanta olice chief Darrin Schierbaum told reporters on Monday.
Residents of the block where Shinners worked paid tribute to him on Facebook as well as in in media interviews, with one resident telling CBS46: “Micheal Shinners was an above and beyond building manager. He was loved by our community. The events today are shocking and he can never be replaced. We are deeply saddened”.
Ms Kengne, who it was unlcear if she had a lawyer or had entered a plea, has since been charged with two counts of murder and three counts of aggravated assault, amid other charges.
The Independent has contacted the medical examiner’s office for further comment.