ATLANTA — A man was shot in the head and killed at an Atlanta MARTA station Tuesday afternoon, according to MARTA Police.
Authorities said a gunman opened fire at around 4:20 p.m. inside the Ashby MARTA station, which is located at 65 Joseph E Lowery Blvd NW, just west of Downtown Atlanta.
MARTA Police said passengers rushed to try to help the victim. Police said later that when Grady EMS arrived, first responders tried to provide the man with medical treatment, but he had died.
MARTA Police Major Matthew Carrier said that the man was shot in the concourse area just before the turnstiles. He was identified Wednesday as Charles Madison Perkins, 20, from Douglasville.
Authorities said no one was in custody as of Tuesday evening.
MARTA tweeted earlier that police activity impacted its westbound platform. In an update several hours later, MARTA said normal operations had resumed on the east and west lines.
"The cause of the incident as well as information about the suspects is under investigation at this time," MARTA Police said in a statement.
Major Carrier said they're still in the early stages of the investigation, reviewing security video, working to identify the gunman, and interviewing those who knew the victim to try to learn what led up to the shooting, if the gunman and victim were acquainted, and what might have led up to the shooting.
Johnny Mims with the MLK Merchants Association said he and others who live and work in the area of the MARTA Ashby station-- in and around the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard-- are heartbroken, for the victim and for the community.
"It’s been a long journey of trying to fight the crime that is plaguing our community over here," Mims said. "It’s very hurtful for us because this is a historic community, and there are a lot of great things going on over here, and we feel for the families" and friends of the man who was shot. "Everybody's appalled, because that could have easily been any one of us."
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
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