Authorities seeking help after young woman shot near GSU campus dies

A young woman, De’Asia Hart, 19, succumbed to her injuries more than a week after being among four individuals, including two students, who were shot near the Georgia State University campus in downtown Atlanta on October 29.

No one has been charged and authorities and the family are asking for the public’s help.

The incident occurred around 5 a.m. in the 100 block of John Wesley Dobbs, intersecting with Courtland Street, as a large crowd was present. Hart, a young mother with a 1-year-old child, was found with a gunshot wound and transported to the hospital in critical condition, ultimately succumbing to her injuries.

Two other women and a man, all with non-life-threatening injuries, had already taken themselves to the hospital before police arrived. The two students involved have not been publicly identified.

Police investigations revealed that the shooting followed an altercation nearby involving individuals not affiliated with Georgia State University, exchanging gunfire.

Surveillance footage captured moments leading up to the incident, showing two groups exchanging words at 5:02 a.m. Three individuals, considered persons of interest, were identified in the footage.

Notably, a person wearing a purple hoodie was seen walking with a firearm; a minute later, shots were fired, injuring the victims. Two other individuals seen running from the scene are also considered persons of interest, and they may have retaliated against the initial shooter, believed to be the person in the purple hoodie.

Following the shooting, the man in the purple hoodie was observed discarding his weapon and changing clothes before fleeing. Authorities have appealed to the public for assistance in identifying these individuals, noting that the man in the purple hoodie is believed to have a facial tattoo.

In addition to urging anyone with information on the shooting to step forward and contact authorities, the family released a written statement saying:

“Our family is currently grieving, and would also respect privacy at this time. 19-year-old De’Asia was a loving mother, daughter, sister, and friend. She was a recent 2023 graduate. She planned to enroll in school in the Spring of 2024. She aspired to be a lawyer. While we mourn the loss of a beautiful young lady, we also celebrate her remarkable life. She leaves behind a daughter whose last time she will see her mother. Her mother can’t tell her “Goodbye” or “I Love You”.

This incident occurred in close proximity to a 2022 RaceTrac gas station incident on Piedmont Avenue, where a Georgia State University student was fatally shot. Joshua Igbinijesu, 24, died at the hospital, and police determined the incident to be a “targeted incident.”

The recent shooting underscores the ongoing challenges of violence in the vicinity, prompting heightened concerns for public safety in the community. Authorities are actively seeking information from the public to aid in their investigation and bring those responsible to justice.