Jatonne Sterling, a 20-year-old male student and baseball player at Clark Atlanta University, was fatally shot on February 28, 2023. The incident occurred in the parking lot of a Catholic campus ministry near a residence hall on the university's campus. Sterling, who was originally from Chicago, was a sophomore majoring in computer science.
The shooting was not a random act, as Sterling and the suspect, 25-year-old Keontay Holliman-Peoples, knew each other and had been in communication
prior to the incident. On the day of the shooting, Sterling entered a vehicle occupied by Holliman-Peoples and another unidentified male. A dispute erupted inside the car, which escalated to an exchange of gunfire. Both Sterling and Holliman-Peoples sustained gunshot wounds during the altercation. When police arrived at the scene around 1:42 p.m., they found Sterling unresponsive, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Holliman-Peoples was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries.
Atlanta police quickly identified Keontay Holliman-Peoples as the suspect. He was not a student at Clark Atlanta University. Initially, Holliman-Peoples was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, and other offenses. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Atlanta Police Department and the Clark Atlanta University Police, who utilized campus surveillance footage to help piece the case together. Police also sought to identify the third man who was present in the car during the shooting.
In October 2024, Keontay Holliman-Peoples, then 26, pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter, as well as criminal attempt to purchase marijuana and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. As part of a plea deal, he was sentenced as a first offender to 20 years, with 13 years to be served in prison. The terms of his sentence also include two years of probation, a requirement to complete a victim impact course and moral therapy, and a prohibition on contacting Sterling's family or possessing any weapons.
