Police arrest 29-year-old suspect in shooting deaths of 3 homeless people

ATLANTA — Atlanta police say a 29-year-old man is in custody in connection with the deaths of three people in homeless camps.

David Lee is accused of killing Timothy Smith, Curtis Cockrell and Maxine McDonald in Atlanta earlier this month. After the shootings, Atlanta police released a surveillance image of the suspect.

Friday morning, Lee was arrested in Gwinnett County. Police said they received a tip he was walking in a shopping center parking lot off Holcomb Bridge Road near Peachtree Parkway. Officers found him and took him into custody peacefully. Lee was then handed over to Atlanta police.

“It’s always a good feeling to get somebody who is a suspect in this many murders. Obviously he’s considered very dangerous, and we were very happy to be able to catch him,” Gwinnett County police Cpl. Collin Flynn said.

The victims were killed between June 1 and Monday in Atlanta.

The first man was found dead June 1 at the intersection of Piedmont and Baker at about 10:30 a.m. The second man was found dead June 11 on Whitehall Drive at about 5:30 p.m. McDonald was found dead on June 15 at the intersection of Pryor St. SE and Rawson St. SW at about 8:55 a.m.

“I saw the man walking out of the tent and pull the fun out of his back pack,” witness Isidro Rivera said. “He did it close range, about this far, and the lady looked like she didn’t even move. He shot her over five to 10 times.”

Police are still investigating the shootings.

Lee will make a first appearance before a judge Saturday.

Police searching for man they say is targeting homeless people Investigators said 3 people have been killed in Atlanta that police say were done by the same person.

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