Navy Veteran Charged in String of Atlanta-Area Shootings

In the early morning hours of April 14, 2026, a series of shootings unfolded across several miles of the Atlanta metropolitan area, leaving two people dead and one critically injured. Olaolukitan Adon Abel, a 26-year-old U.S. Navy veteran and U.K. native, has been charged in DeKalb County state court with two counts of malice murder, aggravated assault, and firearms counts in connection with the attacks, according to Associated Press reporting published April 17. He is also facing a federal firearms charge.

The first victim, 31-year-old Prianna Weathers, was fatally shot around 12:50 a.m. outside a Decatur-area fast food restaurant, investigators said. Around 2 a.m., a 49-year-old homeless man was shot multiple times while sleeping outside a grocery store in Brookhaven, approximately 12 miles from the first attack. He remained in stable but critical condition as of Thursday, according to Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley. Lauren Bullis, a 40-year-old auditor for the Department of Homeland Security who was walking her dog near Adon Abel’s residence, was found around 7 a.m. with gunshot and stab wounds. Authorities have linked Adon Abel to all three attacks.

What Happened Before the Shootings

Three roommates told the Associated Press that Adon Abel and a male housemate got into an intense argument late Sunday night over the temperature in their shared communal home listed on PadSplit, a low-cost shared housing platform in the Panthersville suburb southeast of Atlanta. Roommate Angela Britton told the AP: “He kept the house freezing. It’s not the first time they got into it about the AC. But that time was a real big argument.” Another roommate, Lakisha Mckinzie, said she called her mother before going to sleep and asked her to pray for the household’s safety, describing the atmosphere in the home as marked by “chaos and tension.” Mckinzie told the AP she had complained to the landlord multiple times about Adon Abel’s behavior, but no action was taken.

After the argument, roommates told the AP that Adon Abel packed a large duffel bag and drove off shortly after midnight. Authorities have not announced an official motive. Georgia State Patrol troopers stopped Adon Abel’s vehicle around 11 a.m. Monday in Troup County, near the Georgia-Alabama border. Investigators said they found ammunition and shell casings inside the car matching those from the scene of Weathers’ killing.

Federal Charges and a Second Defendant

Federal prosecutors announced on April 17 that Adon Abel faces a charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a person previously convicted of a felony. A second defendant, 35-year-old Damon Marquis Yarns, was also charged with a federal firearms violation. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said Yarns acknowledged to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent that he purchased the 9mm pistol used in the shootings for a man he knew only as “Abdul or Obie,” then identified Adon Abel from a photograph. Yarns faces charges of purchasing the firearm on Adon Abel’s behalf and falsely stating on a federal form that he was the owner.

Adon Abel was granted U.S. citizenship in 2022 while serving in the Navy and stationed in San Diego, according to the AP. He had previously pleaded guilty in October 2024 in San Diego County to assault with a deadly weapon and criminal vandalism following an attack on two police officers and another individual, California court records show. He has not been convicted on the current murder charges.

Victim Context and Community Response

Lauren Bullis, the DHS auditor killed while walking her dog near Adon Abel’s home, was identified by federal officials following the attacks. Authorities said they believe at least one of the victims was targeted at random. Adon Abel had lived in the communal PadSplit home with six other residents at the time of the shootings. PadSplit did not respond to AP requests for comment regarding whether it had received prior complaints about Adon Abel’s behavior.

Adon Abel pleaded not guilty and remains in custody. Federal and state charges are proceeding in parallel. The investigation is ongoing.

References: Roommates of man accused of killing 2 say dispute preceded the Atlanta-area attacks | Navy veteran charged in DeKalb shooting spree after AC dispute