Suspect in 2021 Atlanta security guard killing pleads guilty, receives sentence

Trial to begin for 2021 murder of security guard

Ty Ross was working as a security guard at a Downtown Atlanta hookah lounge when he was gunned down nearly three years ago. Now his suspected killer is heading to trial.

ATLANTA - The man accused of killing a downtown Atlanta nightclub security guard has pleaded guilty to multiple charges at the start of his trial.

Damon Wilson was accused of killing 29-year-old Ty Ross outside Encore Hookah Bar on Luckie Street on Feb. 2, 2021. Investigators said Wilson grabbed his gun and shot Ross after he was kicked out of the bar that night.

At the beginning of his trial on Monday, Wilson pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple battery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Damon Wilson (Atlanta Police Department)

According to a press release from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, the sentencing was a result of a joint recommendation by the state and the defense.

The prosecution reportedly consulted the victim's parents, who supported the plea agreement. During the plea hearing, the victim's mother addressed the court, expressing gratitude that the case was reaching its concluding, WIllis said.,

Wilson had been offered a plea deal earlier this year, but that deal ultimately fell apart.

Court officials did not share with FOX 5 what Wilson's sentence was.

Victim's fiancée talks about deadly shooting

Ty Ross’ fiancée, Aaliyah Strong, told FOX 5 that she had been waiting to face Ross's accused killer in court for years.

"We’ve had countless delays in this case," she said. "I'm just ready to see it through. To get to the finish line."

In the years since the deadly shooting, Strong successfully pushed the city to shut the lounge down for good, pointing to several violent incidents at the venue.

"It never was about Encore," Strong said. "But I did want to bring attention to security around nightlife, just security in Atlanta as a whole."

Ty Ross (Supplied)

Strong has also founded A Tyme to Thrive Beyond Grief, a nonprofit providing resources and support for survivors of gun violence and victims’ families. The organization has already aided more than 650 people across metro Atlanta, donating $40,000 in direct aid, she said.

"Ty is still here," Strong said. "I think his energy and spirit through all of this has kept me on this journey."

Despite her strength, Strong acknowledges the emotional toll the trial will take.

"It's going to be triggering," she said. "I will get a chance to finally see the video, and a lot of things I probably am not prepared for just yet."

Ty Ross and Aaliyah Strong

Strong said she was ready to face the outcome of the case with courage.

"I'm going to walk in with my head held high, whatever the outcome is," she said. "And know that I did everything I could to see this all the way through."

Downtown Crime and Public Safety News