DeKalb County

Postal worker killed outside post office ID'd as 22-year-old mother

DEKALB COUNTY — Authorities say a 22-year-old female postal worker was shot and killed Monday night in DeKalb County.

Channel 2 Action News learned the shooting happened at the post office at Wesley Chapel Road and Snap Finger Road in Decatur.

The victim was identified as Tyrika Terrell. Investigators told Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes that Terrell's boyfriend and child's father is accused in the shooting.

Channel 2 Action News has learned Terrell had just started working at the branch about three weeks ago.

The Postal Service says it is now reviewing its security policies after the deadly shooting.

Witnesses say the gate to the parking area where employees park their trucks should have been secured. They say it was wide open when the suspect walked up and opened fire.

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"That was my first time ever seeing him," the owner of the coin laundry business next door told Fernandes.

She said the suspected shooter sat in her business with no laundry to wash Monday night.

"He kept peeping out the window like he was looking for something or somebody," she said. "Apparently he saw her and he turned the corner and I heard, 'Pow, pow.' So after that I came inside and I locked the door."

Investigators say Terrell and the suspect had a baby together less than a year ago.

Witnesses say Terrell's mom was sitting in the parking lot waiting to pick her daughter up from work when the shooting happened.

The U.S. Postal Service sent a statement saying, “We are shocked and saddened by what happened to our employee Tyrika Terrell. We give our sincere condolences to her family. We’re reviewing all security policies and procedures to prevent this from happening again.”

The shooter is still on the loose.

A GoFundMe campaign has been created in her honor. You can help her family and donate by clicking here.