On a Thanksgiving morning in Decatur, Georgia, the life of 40-year-old Royce Akil Cross was tragically cut short. On November 24, 2022, at approximately 11:37 a.m., DeKalb County Police responded to reports of a person shot and discovered Cross in the middle of a parking lot on Candler Road, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was quickly transported to a nearby hospital, but tragically succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a complex scene, with law
enforcement identifying two separate areas of interest in the same vicinity: one outside a local seafood restaurant and the other near an apartment complex. Witnesses at the scene reported that Cross had been involved in an exchange of gunfire with another individual before he was fatally wounded. In the parking lot near the apartments, investigators found several evidence markers and a handgun, suggesting a chaotic and violent encounter.
In the days following the shooting, friends and family gathered to remember Royce Akil Cross, a man described as kind and compassionate. His homegoing service was held on December 9, 2022, at the Greenforest Community Baptist Church in Decatur. Despite the ongoing investigation and the presence of evidence at the scene, authorities did not immediately announce any arrests or name any suspects in connection with the death of Royce Cross. The case remained under active investigation by the DeKalb County Police Department. There have been no subsequent public announcements regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in this case.
