On a late Sunday afternoon in November, the life of a young man was cut short in what has been described as a senseless act of violence. Twenty-eight-year-old Antonio Adler, a Black male, was fatally shot on November 24, 2024, in the parking lot of the Shops at Water's Edge on Rockbridge Road in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He had just finished getting a haircut around 3 p.m.
and was preparing to leave when the tragic encounter occurred.
According to witnesses, the incident stemmed from a brief and seemingly insignificant exchange. A stranger reportedly approached Adler and asked, 'What are you looking at?' to which Adler replied, 'I'm not looking at you, bro.' Following this verbal exchange, the other individual walked away, but instead of leaving the area, he waited near the exit of the parking lot. As Adler began to drive his green Toyota Corolla out of the shopping center, the man opened fire, inflicting multiple gunshot wounds that proved to be fatal. Adler was discovered deceased in the front seat of his vehicle.
Antonio Adler was a recent graduate of an HVAC program and was employed by Pepsi, with aspirations of buying his own home. His mother, Juanique Carrington, described him as a loving and respectful son, emphasizing the tragic and unnecessary nature of his death. The DeKalb County Police Department is actively investigating the homicide but has not yet made any arrests.
In the course of their investigation, authorities have released surveillance images of a person of interest they are hoping to identify. The images show a man wearing a distinctive black and white long-sleeved shirt with a skeleton design on it and carrying a black backpack. Surveillance footage captured this unidentified man in the parking lot with Adler shortly before the shooting took place. The police have urged anyone who may have information about the identity of this individual or the shooting to come forward and contact the DeKalb County Police Homicide/Assault Unit. Adler's mother remains hopeful for justice, stating that some community members have indicated they know the shooter's identity. She also possesses a video that reportedly captured the sound of the gunshots and shows a person fleeing the scene.
