ATLANTA — Police have released surveillance videos with the hopes that the clips will possibly lead them to tips in two murder investigations.
It was March 26 when 40-year-old Elexia Banks was in Deerwood Park. A red car was parked not far away on the street. Surveillance video, released by Atlanta Police, showed a man getting out of the car and suddenly firing wildly around the park.
“She (Banks) was in the park, bullets started flying, and she got shot," said Atlanta Investigator David Jenkins.
A popular place for people to hang out, Investigator Jenkins said Banks was doing just that. She was an innocent bystander hit by the bullets from someone's gun.
“We have identified a person of interest in this case. He has not been identified so we’re asking for help from the public to try to identify him," Jenkins added.
Police released the following photo of the person of interest.
Banks was the 28th person killed in Atlanta in 2021.
On August 30, 28-year-old Markeece Jenkins became the 109th murder victim in the city. An aspiring rapper, whose artist name was Foolproof, was shot in the Vine City area.
“Two individuals ran up on him and that led to the shooting, said Jenkins.
One suspect has warrants for his arrest, but the other is "at large."
A surveillance video of the second suspect, shows him wandering through a store on 617 Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW.
Later, police found Jenkins outside of the store with gunshot wounds. The Florida native, died at the hospital.
There’s been 122 murders so far this year in Atlanta, a 21 percent increase from this same time last year. Below is a photo of the person they are looking for in Jenkin's case.
Warrants have been issued or arrests have been made in 88 of the 2021 murders.
Police hope the community will help solve the cases of Banks and Jenkins. The two murders are unrelated.
Anyone with information on the crimes can contact APD or submit a tip anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477), online, or by texting CSA and the tip to CRIMES (274637).