Man putting air in tires is killed trying to stop carjacker at QuikTrip, GA cops say
Update: On July 21, police said they arrested a man in Bradley Coleman’s death. The suspect — identified in a news release as 20-year-old David Jarrad Booker — was charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.
The original story continues below.
A man was putting air in his tires before he was shot and killed at a Georgia gas station, officials said.
Bradley Coleman, 29, was filling his tires at a QuikTrip when officers said he noticed someone getting into his driver’s seat on Sunday, July 10. Coleman then got into the passenger’s side of his car and tried to stop the carjacker, according to a preliminary investigation from the Gwinnett County Police Department.
Officials said Coleman was shot during the Atlanta-area encounter. The 29-year-old Louisiana resident later was found dead near the gas station’s air pumps.
Now, police are seeking clues in the shooting, which was reported at about 12:30 p.m. outside a QuikTrip store in Peachtree Corners. The convenience store chain didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ requests for comment on July 11.
Jarrett Bailey works near the QuikTrip and told WXIA he was surprised when gunfire rang out over the weekend.
“We all heard a gunshot, and immediately we kind of looked at each other,” Bailey said, according to the station. “Kind of like? Is that what we thought we heard?”
Coleman reportedly was at the air pumps when a “black 4-door passenger vehicle backed in directly next to the victim’s car.” After one of the suspects got into Coleman’s car, the two got into a fight and another suspect joined them, officials said.
“While this was occurring, the driver of another vehicle (not knowing that the crime was taking place) positioned his vehicle so that he could utilize the air pump once the victim was done,” police wrote in their release. “In doing so, his vehicle was directly behind the victim’s car. As one of the suspects tried to back up the victim’s car, he collided with the waiting vehicle.”
That’s when officials said the carjacker left Coleman’s car, and a suspect shot him. The suspects then reportedly got back into the black car and went south on Peachtree Parkway.
Police are investigating Coleman’s death as a homicide, and anyone with information is asked to call police at 770-513-5300 or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477. People can also submit tips at stopcrimeATL.com.
This story was originally published July 11, 2022 at 10:43 AM with the headline "Man putting air in tires is killed trying to stop carjacker at QuikTrip, GA cops say."
