In a northwest Atlanta office park, the life of a young man with aspirations of professional soccer was cut short in a burst of violence. Sheikh Omar Sonko, a 25-year-old American-Gambian man, was discovered deceased on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 6, 2021. He was found in the 2000 block of General Truman Street NW after police received a report of an unresponsive person around 2:15 p.m.
Upon their arrival, officers confirmed that Sonko had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Originally from Kennesaw, a city in Cobb County, Sonko's death was ruled a homicide, prompting an investigation by Atlanta's homicide detectives. According to his uncle, Abdoulie Sallah, Sonko was attacked, and his car and other personal belongings were stolen before he was fatally shot. Sallah expressed that his nephew was not known to have any underlying health issues and that his death came as a devastating shock to his mother.
Born and raised in the United States, Sonko had recently traveled to Brikama, a community his family originated from in The Gambia, for his father's burial. He had returned to the U.S. with ambitions, one of which was to pursue a career in professional soccer. His uncle had been planning for him to visit The Gambia again on a holiday to play for a local third-division team.
As of the latest available reports, the investigation into Sheikh Omar Sonko's murder is ongoing. Law enforcement officials have not yet released any descriptions of potential suspects, and no arrests have been made in connection with the case.
