In the early morning hours of Saturday, March 13, 2021, 58-year-old Ronald Bernard Barner was taking a morning walk in his southwest Atlanta neighborhood. A loving and compassionate man, Barner had recently moved to the area to be closer to family. Despite dealing with long-term back problems that required him to use a cane, he cherished his family and made every effort to be present in their lives, from celebrating birthdays to cheering on his grandson at football games.
That morning,
as he walked near the 3000 block of Valeland Avenue, the sound of gunfire shattered the quiet. Atlanta police officers patrolling near Campbellton Road heard the shots and went to investigate. They discovered Mr. Barner's body outside a home that was under construction; he had been shot several times.
Investigators began to piece together the events of that morning, suspecting the motive was an attempted robbery. Though his cellphone and bank card were found in his pocket, his daughter noted that he usually carried cash, and only a dollar and some change were found on him. Surveillance footage from the neighborhood revealed two men following Barner as he walked just after sunrise. Police described one suspect as wearing white and black sneakers and the other in gray pants and a black hoodie. They were believed to have been in a silver Nissan Sentra, model year between 2014 and 2017.
The Atlanta Police Department released the surveillance footage to the public in an effort to identify the two men. A cash reward was offered for any information that would lead to an arrest in the case. As of the latest available information, no arrests have been publicly announced in the shooting death of Ronald Barner. His family, devastated by the seemingly random and heartless act, held his funeral on March 27, 2021, remembering a man who deeply loved his family and was a cherished part of their lives.
