ATLANTA — Three people are dead and one other was hurt in a shooting that broke out in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood Saturday evening, police said.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office identified two of the victims as 22-year-old Javier Leach and 27-year-old Justin Barber. The third victim has not been identified as of yet, while next of kin is notified.
Officers were called to the shooting near 3005 Peachtree Rd. NE. around 6:45 p.m., according to the Atlanta Police Department. The area is near a shopping district and apartment complex.
Once officers arrived, they found four men who were shot. Emergency medical crews pronounced three victims dead at the scene. One man was still conscious; he was taken to the hospital via ambulance, police said.
APD Major Peter Malecki says the shooting was self-contained inside the apartment.
"This is an incident that happened inside the unit and unfortunately, that's an area we cannot police," he explained. "So we do need common sense to prevail in those situations. Nothing good comes from drug activity."
Investigators with APD's Homicide Unit were called to the scene to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. So far, officers said the shooting appears to be a marijuana drug deal gone wrong.
“It was an exchange of gunfire. There was some type of drug activity taking place. Gunfire escalates, three people are deceased and one person is injured in the hospital," Malecki added.
There has been no mention of any arrests nor whether the sole survivor will face any charges.
According to APD's crime map, in February, officers investigated a double shooting at this same complex, also over a drug deal.
“[However], this is the first incident of this magnitude that we’ve been out here for. It’s a result of illegal drug activity turning into violence," Malecki said, referring to Saturday's incident.
Police say all four men knew each other, and at least two of them lived inside the apartment unit.
Barber’s friend, Trey, said he was genuine, smart, driven, loyal, and humble. His cousins Sasha and Shanesse Llopiz said that despite their 10-year difference, he was a close, family guy.
"We waited for him to get home and see him," they wrote in a joint statement. "He was our little baby. Literally, we remember the day he was born."
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
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