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Morehouse student shot during attempted carjacking, police say

ATLANTA — A group of people who police said shot a Morehouse college student are on the run after an attempted carjacking. The student stopped for gas and was shot several times Sunday around 3:30 p.m.

Loved ones have identified the victim as 30-year-old Geoffrey Willis.

Detectives said Willis was inside a convenience store at a Shell gas station on Lee Street when a man tried to steal his car, which was parked at pump 1.

Seconds later, Willis came out and confronted the thief, who jumped into a getaway car, police told Channel 2 Action News.

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Before hitting the gas, another suspect in the car opened fire, shooting the student in the chest and legs.

A woman Channel 2's Nefertiti Jaquez spoke with said while she's saddened that the shooting happened at the gas station she frequents, she's also not surprised.

"It’s just really not safe for our children out here," she said.

Now Willis, who’s described by his friends as a smart, talented and nice guy, is recovering at Grady Medical Center. His mother is flying in from Virginia to be by her son’s side.

The Atlanta Police Department said they’re checking footage from surveillance cameras at the gas station and nearby city cameras.

They said they have added additional cops to patrol the area to try to find those responsible.