A tragic road rage incident on Interstate 75 in Atlanta resulted in the death of a 21-year-old man late Saturday night, according to reports from local authorities. The deceased was identified as Damari Jordan by the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office, reported 13WMAZ. The Georgia State Patrol and Atlanta Police Department provided details into the violent sequence of events that unfolded.
The incident began when a sedan made contact with the rear right side of a Ford truck on I-75. Both vehicles stopped on the right shoulder where Jordan, driving the sedan, exited his vehicle and walked toward the Ford truck. At this point, "gunfire was exchanged between both drivers," resulting in Jordan collapsing onto the interstate. Not long after, he was struck by an unidentified vehicle, that subsequently left the scene, and an Atlanta Police Department patrol car, as confirmed by 13WMAZ. It remains unclear whether Jordan's death was caused by the gunfire, the collisions, or both. The series of events began around 10:30 p.m. near Northside Drive.
In the immediate aftermath, officers from the APD patrolling I-75 discovered Jordan's body and declared him deceased at the scene. "Responding medical personnel pronounced the victim deceased on the scene," as per the 13WMAZ report. The Homicide Unit of the APD responded promptly to determine the circumstances of the incident. An autopsy conducted by the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office is expected to provide an official cause and manner of death.
The Atlanta Police Department is leading the investigation into the road rage, shooting, and the initial crash, while the Georgia State Patrol is concentrating its efforts on the subsequent events, including the hit-and-run and the collision involving the APD patrol car. Statements obtained by both FOX 5 Atlanta and 13WMAZ outline the scope of these two separate, but intertwining investigations. As events continue to develop, further information regarding the incident is expected to be released by the involved law enforcement agencies.
