A gas station on a troubled block in downtown Atlanta is now closed.

A 21-year-old man was shot to death near a RaceTrac store in downtown Atlanta early Sunday afternoon. He was not a Georgia State University student, according to authorities.

The Atlanta Police Department (APD) said around 12:41 p.m. that officers responded to 120 Piedmont Avenue NE in reference to a person shot.

The area has seen several shootings over the past two years.

Three of the four corners at the intersection of Piedmont and John Wesley Dobbs house Georgia State University buildings, including the school's main dining hall, its university health center and the offices of the provost. Two dorms run by the university are also nearby. The northwest corner houses the RaceTrac gas station and convenience store on the ground level of a high-rise student apartment complex called The Mix, which is not affiliated with the school.

After a shooting in October 2023, GSU president M. Brian Blake and its police chief, Anthony Coleman, said that the school, in conjunction with the Atlanta Police Department and state police, had increased monitoring on the corner this year, put metal plates in the road to prevent street racing and sideshows and worked with RaceTrac and The Mix on managing crowds and gatherings.

"Our campus leadership and public safety officers send our sympathy and condolences to the family of the victim," Blake wrote Sunday on the university's website. "While the individuals involved were not affiliated with the university, we know these acts of violence affect us all, especially those that happen in close proximity to our campus facilities."

Blake said an off-duty police officer added earlier this year inside the RaceTrac was on the scene and responded immediately to Sunday’s shooting. The event triggered a decision by RaceTrac to close the store permanently.

“I am deeply saddened by the recent senseless acts of violence at and near this store,” said Natalie Morhous, RaceTrac’s CEO in a statement Monday. “As an Atlanta-based business, we did not reach this decision lightly. We know how important our stores are to the community: They are open to guests 24/7/365, they create local jobs, they generate taxes, and play a critical role in the states in which they operate. However, RaceTrac can only be successful when our stores are safe for our team members and our guests.”

UPDATE: 

The family of De'Asia Hart, a 19-year-old bystander who died after she was shot near at a RaceTrac gas station near Georgia State's campus Oct. 29, 2023, announced on Feb. 29, 2024, a lawsuit against the gas station and several other parties including the ownership group of The Mix apartment complex.

A statement from attorney Ryan Julison said:

"According to police, Ms. Hart was an innocent bystander at the RaceTrac gas station when gunshots were exchanged between a group of men. During the incident, three other people who were also not involved were shot. They suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The complaint contends that the RaceTrac gas station at 120 Piedmont Avenue and adjacent properties have a documented history of shootings, assaults, robberies and other violent person-on-person crimes.

According to the complaint, even though RaceTrac had full knowledge of myriad violent incidents at its location, large crowds have been allowed to continue to gather at the property almost weekly. These gatherings have resulted in numerous calls to the Atlanta Police Department where citizens have reported weapons, drugs, and violence at the RaceTrac and The Mix apartment complex."

This is a developing story.

Tags: Atlanta  Georgia  shooting death  Georgia State Univeristy