LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — A video likely played a critical role in helping Lawrenceville police make an arrest within hours of a man’s killing on Thursday.
Channel 2’s Cory James spoke with a neighbor who says his dad happened to see the body in the middle of the road while heading out for work.
Hieu Lee is still processing seeing a body lying in front of his home on New Years Day.
“He was lifeless,” he said.
“Horrible, scary, we’re still shocked,” Lee said.
It happened on Groveland Parkway in Lawrenceville. Ring camera video captured a black SUV pulling up around 4:30 a.m. Thursday.
Watch as the driver stops. The trunk then opens, and the driver gets out. A couple minutes go by, and the driver takes off leaving the man on the ground.
But it is this video recorded 15 minutes later showing the same vehicle returning to the scene and stopping next to the body, which we’ve blurred.
“It’s a suburban neighborhood. You don’t get any of that here,” Lee said.
Lawrenceville police say a 58-year-old man driving for Uber was carjacked and shot at least once.
Investigators say nearly eight hours later, advanced technology led them to Hardwood Circle in Lilburn about 10 miles away.
That’s where officers tell us they found the SUV and arrested a 15-year-old boy.
“Fifteen-year-old kid, for somebody that young to do something like that, I have no words,” Lee said.
Uber released a statement:
We’re saddened by this devastating loss, and our condolences go out to the driver’s family during this incredibly difficult time. We’ve been in contact with the Lawrence Police Department to help support their investigation.
— Uber
Lee says he is just heartbroken for the victim’s family, a family now starting the year off grieving an unexpected loss.
“It’s so sad. That’s somebody’s grandfather just working a job,” he said.
Uber says the rider’s account has been banned. It’s unclear if that person is the teenager who was arrested or someone else.
Meantime, the 15-year-old is being charged as an adult for murder. So far, the name of the man killed has not been released.
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