Atlanta police say a tense barricade in Newton County ended Monday with the arrest of 26-year-old Laquan Paschal, a suspect in the deadly Nov. 5 shooting at the Bethel Towers apartments on Auburn Avenue that left one man dead and another wounded. Investigators said Paschal faces murder and related felony gun charges and was taken to the city's Public Safety headquarters for questioning by homicide detectives.
Barricade Ends In Arrest
According to 11Alive, Atlanta police worked with the FBI and the Newton County Sheriff's Office to track Paschal to a location on Hunters Ridge Drive in the Covington area. After a barricade situation there, officers took him into custody and brought him back to Atlanta for interviews with the homicide unit.
Link To Downtown Killing
In a release from the Atlanta Police Department, officers said they were called to 210 Auburn Avenue NE on Nov. 5 and found a man with apparent gunshot wounds in the building. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The same release noted that another man with gunshot injuries arrived separately at a hospital, details that investigators said helped shape search warrants and subsequent arrests.
Victim Identified
Local reporting identified the man killed in the hallway shooting as Steven Doss. Witnesses described the incident as an attempted robbery that spun into an exchange of gunfire. On Nov. 5, WSB-TV reported that neighbors were stunned by the violence in the downtown high-rise as detectives launched an active homicide investigation.
Earlier Arrests In The Investigation
Atlanta police had already announced one major break in the case. In December, they arrested Quintavious Malcom after a separate barricade situation in Alpharetta. APD's December announcement said Malcom was charged with murder and related felonies tied to the Nov. 5 shooting. That earlier arrest, along with coordination with federal partners, showed how the case quickly spread across multiple metro Atlanta counties.
Charges And Where The Case Goes Next
11Alive reports that Paschal now faces counts of murder, conspiracy to commit a felony, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and criminal attempt. It was not immediately clear when he will make his first court appearance. At the time of the report, Atlanta homicide detectives were still interviewing him at Public Safety headquarters as the investigation continued.
How To Help
Police are still working to piece together exactly what led up to the gunfire inside Bethel Towers. Anyone with information about the Nov. 5 shooting or the events that preceded Paschal's arrest is asked to contact Atlanta Police or Crime Stoppers. Investigators said tips and any video from the Bethel Towers area could be crucial. Officials have not yet released details on the timing of any arraignment.
