In August of 2020, a shooting at a Suwanee, Georgia business claimed the life of James Ross, a 38-year-old male from Loganville. The incident, which prompted a large-scale manhunt, took place on a Friday afternoon at a business located in the 600 block of Satellite Boulevard. First responders were called to the scene for what was initially reported as an active shooter situation. Upon arrival, they discovered Ross suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Through their investigation, the Gwinnett County Police Department, with assistance from the Suwanee Police Department, identified 18-year-old Joshua Brandt of Gainesville as the suspect. Eyewitnesses described the shooter as a tall, thin male who was completely covered in a long, white garment with a white head and face covering. It is believed that Ross was the intended target of the shooting. While other employees were present at the time of the incident, only one other person sustained a minor, non-gunshot injury while fleeing the building.
The day after the shooting, law enforcement officials took Joshua Brandt into custody without incident. He was subsequently charged with Felony Murder and Aggravated Assault. Investigators learned that Brandt had previously been employed at the same company as Ross. While a definitive motive for the shooting was not immediately released, authorities indicated that Brandt had a minor criminal history. The investigation also revealed that Brandt was a person of interest in a separate fatal stabbing that had occurred just eleven days prior and two miles away, with the victim in that case being a former high school classmate of Brandt's.
