DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A day after a man was shot and killed in a Publix parking lot, loved ones are honoring his memory.
Lewayne Terrell was found dead Wednesday around noon at the Emory Commons shopping center, off North Decatur Road. Police rushed to the area, which is about a mile from Emory University.
DeKalb County Police Department investigators have released few details in the case, only that they are following up on leads.
On Thursday, friends openly mourned Terrell's death, saying he was a father and a hard worker and he will be missed.
“When you met him you couldn’t help but to love him because he was one of those kind of people who sits in your soul,” said Lee Williams.
Williams said she worked with Terrell at Verizon for years and was shocked to hear about the last moments of his life.
“Just knowing he was gunned down in a parking lot at broad daylight at 12 noon," she said. "You got to be a vicious so and so."
His friend also shed light on Terrell's aspirations, saying he was recently working as a rapper.
“(His) artist name was Teflon Terrell and he was trying to build himself up," Williams said. "But at the end of the day, he was just trying to be there for his family and he was just solid."
The public shooting sent shoppers running through the plaza Wednesday, which was noticeably not as busy the day following.
A mother and daughter told 11Alive's Tracey Amick-Peer it’s hard to come back after such a shocking crime.
“It just broke my heart that your child is scared to go to the grocery store,” said Natalie Turner.
Other patrons returned with caution.
“Hoping it was a one-time thing," Ashley Taylor said. "That’s pretty scary though."
Witnesses at the shopping plaza Wednesday said it appeared the shooter followed Terrell from the road into the parking lot and then shot him in his car. These details have not been corroborated by the police.
No suspect information has been released and police said no one is in custody. 11Alive also asked authorities if they are investigating the shooting as a case of road rage. DKPC declined to comment.