Police search for suspects who killed father of 2 in carjacking, torched car

SOUTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A 24-year-old father of two was killed in a carjacking Monday night after three suspects ambushed a car in East Point, police say.

Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes spoke to Ebony Johnson with the East Point police, who said two men were in car in a parking lot at an East Point apartment complex. The passenger, Terrick Matthews, was sleeping.

Police say Matthews woke up as the armed suspects tried to get into the car. Even though police said Matthews was trying to cooperate with the suspects, one shot him in the neck, killing him.

"It wasn’t necessary for them to take his life," Johnson said. "They were in compliance. They were getting out of the vehicle at that point."

Police said the suspects drove the victim's stolen car to a nearby Exxon gas station on Cleveland Avenue.

Fernandes obtained surveillance video that shows one of the suspects pay for gas and buy a soda bottle. Police say the suspects used a nozzle to fill the soda bottle with the gas. They then set the car on fire less than a mile from the gas station, police said.

Police said even more people could have been injured when the suspects torched the car.

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In addition to the three carjacking suspects, police also want to question two more people seen on the gas station's surveillance video about the crime.

Police said anyone who recognizes the suspects should call East Point Police or Crime Stoppers.

Johnson said Matthews leaves behind two young children, and that his family wants the men behind his death caught.

"Think about it as being one of your family members that lost their life," Johnson said. "You would want the person who took their life to be brought to justice."

Cox Media Group