Shooting deaths of 3 homeless people in Atlanta may be tied to same killer

Police are looking for a man they said is targeting homeless people in Atlanta. Investigators believe the same man is responsible for three homeless shooting deaths in the last two weeks.

All three shootings have happened since June 1 at downtown homeless camps near Pryor Street and Interstate 20. All victims were shot multiple times, according to police and witnesses.

On June 1, police found 45-year-old Timothy Smith dead under a bridge on Piedmont Avenue. The body of a second man was found under a I-20 overpass off Ted Turner Drive Friday.

Channel 2′s Dave Huddleston spoke with a witness who saw the most recent shooting Monday off Pryor Street. Isidro Rivera said a man came out of a tent and pulled a gun out of his backpack.

“He did close range, about this far, and the lady looked like she didn’t even move. He shot her over five to 10 times,” he said. Rivera said he was about 40 yards from the shooting.

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Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said police are gathering information but need the public’s help.

“If there are any surveillance cameras or video footage or in the area at any of these times, we ask that you provide that information,” Bottoms said.

Police plan to canvass the area downtown and ask people if they have seen someone who appears suspicious in the area.

Right now, the only description police have is the man has a dark complexion and was wearing a long sleeve white T-shirt. He has been described as 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds.

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