ATLANTA — Atlanta police have released new video of two people of interest in a shooting that killed a music producer and DJ.
Tarris Caswell, 33, died in the shooting at an apartment complex off McDaniel Street on Aug. 21. Police say that Caswell and his friend were lured to the location believing they were picking up two men and taking them to a music session they were invited to attend.
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Instead, police say it was a planned robbery and Caswell was shot inside the SUV. He died at the scene.
On Monday, police released video and photos of two men they are calling “persons of interest” in the deadly shooting. Anyone who recognizes them is urged to contact investigators through Crime Stoppers Atlanta.
A reward up to $5,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest. You can make an anonymous report online or calling the CSGA tip line at 404-577-8477.
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‘THE LIGHT OF OUR FAMILY’
Channel 2’s Michael Seiden spoke with Caswell’s mother on how she will remember her son.
“If you met him, he just had a really great big personality, a wonderful smile. He just loved people, and people loved him,” Leslie McCalla said.
Music had been part of Caswell’s life since he was a kid. His mother said he had turned that passion into a career DJing across the country and building connections throughout the music industry.
“This kid literally ate, slept, and woke up to music. Like he would be in the studio all night, and that was what he did,” McCalla said.
Caswell moved to Atlanta in April, so he could continue to grow as a producer. McCalla said success for her son also meant helping others get their start.
“He told me that he does that because he’s like, ‘I remember when I was that age and I didn’t have anyone to really help me,’” she said.
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McCalla said Caswell was trying to help someone the night he was killed. She says two people got into his car, had him drive to another location and then robbed one of the passengers before shooting her son.
Ricky Cooper was also inside that car. He described to Channel 2 the moments before his friend was shot.
“He started to drive, and he put his hand up and said, ‘Y’all don’t need to do this,’ and just a split second later you heard the shot,” Cooper said.
McCalla doesn’t want her son to be remembered for how he died, but for how he lived.
“My son was literally the light of our family,” she said.