Joshua Atkinson has received a prison sentence of 50 years to life for the drive-by shooting murder of 20-year-old Tyree Scott in 2021. In a recent decision, the Honorable Shelleyanne Chang ruled on the fate of Atkinson following his April 5 conviction by jury for first-degree murder. The jury also found true a personal use of a firearm causing death allegation and specific aggravating factors in the case, according to a statement from the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office.
Atkinson's sentencing follows the events of August 16, 2021, when drivers reported shots fired from a dark sedan on Elsie Avenue near Stockton Boulevard. Scott was hit seven times, with the fatal shot to the back of his head. Surveillance footage helped deputies identify the sedan as the suspect vehicle, linking Joshua Atkinson to the crime. Witnesses confirmed the suspect was shooting from the passenger side of the car. Additionally, good Samaritans reported suspicious behavior related to the sedan, including covering it with a sheet and removing its license plates.
Cooperation between the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office and Sacramento Police allowed officers to detain several individuals linked to the car, though Atkinson was not among them. A major breakthrough occurred when law enforcement found a 9mm pistol in the sedan, which matched the shell casings from the shooting. Atkinson was arrested the following day.
