In the late hours of August 5, 2024, a dispute in a College Park, Georgia, parking lot turned fatal, ending the life of 38-year-old Devon Anderson. An off-duty Atlanta Police Department officer, Melvin Potter, was identified as the individual who shot and killed Anderson. The incident occurred around 1:00 a.m. outside Harold's Chicken and Ice Bar on Old National Highway.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Potter was escorting someone to their vehicle when an argument broke
out between him and a group of people that included Anderson. Witnesses stated that Anderson was attempting to de-escalate the situation when Potter, who was 30 years old at the time, drew his service weapon and fired, striking Anderson three times. Anderson was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His body was subsequently taken to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, South Fulton Police arrested Potter on a charge of obstruction for refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test. He was booked into the Fulton County Jail and released on bond the same night. Despite the fatal shooting, Potter was not immediately charged in Anderson's death, a point of contention for Anderson's family and community members. The GBI launched an investigation into the deadly shooting. It was later revealed that the GBI completed its investigation and turned the findings over to the Fulton County District Attorney's Office for review and potential charges.
The case drew further scrutiny due to Officer Potter's prior record. In 2021, he had been arrested in Coweta County for DUI, driving at over 100 miles per hour, and attempting to use his police credentials to avoid the arrest. He was convicted of DUI in April 2022 and was on probation at the time of the shooting. Following Anderson's death, Potter was placed on paid leave and later assigned to a non-enforcement role within the Atlanta Police Department.
Devon Anderson's mother, Valerie Anderson, has been a vocal advocate for justice for her son, holding vigils and speaking at public meetings to demand accountability for Officer Potter. In October 2025, she filed a federal lawsuit against Potter, the city of Atlanta, and the Atlanta Police Chief, alleging a failure to address police misconduct. As of early 2026, no murder charges have been filed against Melvin Potter in the death of Devon Anderson, and the case continues to be a source of pain and frustration for his loved ones.
