In the early morning hours of October 14, 2017, a celebration of freedom turned into a scene of tragedy in the parking lot of Peaches of Atlanta, a strip club on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard. Jalal Ross-Beyah, a 29-year-old male from East Point, had planned an outing to welcome home his childhood friend, David Emanuel Robinson. Robinson, 32 at the time, had just been released from prison that day after serving an eight-year sentence for armed robbery.
The two men were inside a vehicle
when an argument broke out. For reasons that remain unclear, Robinson is said to have taken Ross-Beyah's handgun and opened fire. Ross-Beyah was struck multiple times, with fatal shots to his neck and above his eye, and he died at the scene. After shooting his friend, Robinson exited the vehicle and reportedly fired at another friend who was present, but that individual managed to escape unharmed.
Security guards at the strip club quickly responded to the sound of gunfire. They pursued Robinson as he attempted to flee, and he reportedly fired at them as well. His escape was thwarted when a fence he tried to climb collapsed on top of him, allowing the security personnel to detain him until Atlanta police arrived.
David Robinson was arrested and faced a slew of charges, including murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and multiple firearm possession charges. Given his history as a repeat offender with six prior felony convictions, he was denied bond. In September 2019, a jury found Robinson guilty on all counts. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 15 years. An appeal filed by Robinson was later denied, affirming the court's decision.
