A homicide case is currently being investigated by authorities in Barnesville, Georgia.
The initial call to the Barnesville Police Department came on Tuesday evening, around 6 p.m. They received a report three individuals had been shot from a vehicle.
A harrowing scene met the first responders; a woman named Yasmine Wright, aged 33, had lost her life on the spot. The two other victims, a man and another woman, were swiftly transported to a nearby medical facility to receive critical care.
The shocking event, initially suspected as a drive-by shooting by Barnesville Police Chief Belinda Penamon, happened in an unlikely setting: the victims were stranded, attempting to refill their car’s fuel tank, when the assailant struck.
Chief Penamon underscored the unusual nature of the crime for the Barnesville community.
Authorities identified Eric Spradley, 33, as the alleged perpetrator who ruthlessly opened fire. However, an unsettling twist added to the complexity of the case: Spradley was later discovered lifeless in Atlanta, reportedly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, as per the GBI’s findings.
The small town of Barnesville, more accustomed to tranquillity than violence, had last witnessed a homicide two years ago. The unexpected wave of violent crime has undoubtedly left the community shaken, even as the investigation presses on.