ATLANTA — Police are investigating the shooting death of a man who may have been involved in car robberies on Sunday night.
UPDATE: The man has been identified as 29-year-old Mohamad K. Akel of Tinley Park, Illinois. Police have not confirmed the circumstances of his death.
Atlanta Police said that a man was found dead in Buckhead early Monday morning, around the area of Bennett Street and Peachtree Road.
They said he loosely matched the description of one of three suspects included in a report of car robberies in the area the night before.
The vehicle where the man’s body was found next to, a white Dodge Challenger, also matched the description of the vehicle reported to be involved in the car robberies. He was also found wearing gloves, sweatpants and a hoodie.
Major Michael O’Connor specified, however, that police “can’t directly tie him to those (crimes) at this time.”
Police said they believe the man may have been shot in the car, based on a firearm found inside the vehicle and blood in the driver’s seat. His body was found outside the car.
Police added that the car was found still running, stopped against a small deck. There were also rubber marks on the pavement, which indicated the car continued to be in "Drive" throughout the night before an unknown individual eventually put it in "Park."
They said the man may have been shot there or shot somewhere else and then driven there, which was an area behind a string of businesses.
Police said they would be reviewing surveillance footage from the businesses to see if they provide any clear look at what happened.
They may have a preliminary identification on the man, thanks to an ID that was found in the car.
“He appears to have been involved in some form of criminal activity that resulted in him being shot,” O’Connor said.
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