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Pastor's wife shot, killed by stray bullet; suspect at large
DeKalb County police say they are searching for the person responsible for firing the shot that killed a pastor's wife while she slept in bed.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - DeKalb County police are continuing their search for the gunman who fired the stray bullet that fatally struck a woman sleeping in her bed earlier this month.
Loved ones of 50 year-old Lashunda Ellison, the first lady of Temple of Faith Ministries, held a funeral for her on Tuesday. Her husband, Pastor Herman Ellison told FOX 5’s Joi Dukes her death still doesn’t feel real.
"Reality sets in every day," Ellison said Wednesday. "Lives are being taken because of being inconsiderate of how you fire a weapon."
He said his family has been struggling to accept the loss of their matriarch after a stray bullet flew into their home on Wilkins Court in the middle of the night.
According to DeKalb County police, the bullet struck Mrs. Ellison in the head in the early morning hours of Oct. 5.
An incident report stated that Pastor Ellison woke up to her breathing heavy, saw a pool of blood and immediately called 911. Medics rushed the mother of two to the hospital where she died days later.
"My momma always said a bullet doesn’t have a name … it can go anywhere it chooses," their daughter Taylor Ellison recalled.
She told FOX 5 she’s still trying to understand why that night, it chose her mom.
"I have questions. I want to know who shot the gun? I want to know why would you think it’s OK?" she said.
A display shows photos of Lashunda Ellison, who was killed in her sleep by a stray bullet at her DeKalb County home on Oct. 5, 2022.
Taylor said her mother was a hairstylist who loved spending time with family and a woman of God who sang every Sunday at church.
"For someone so innocent to get taken away … it just it makes me angry," she stated.
For Taylor and her brother Dejaun, the loss is one they’re still processing — even after the funeral.
"This could’ve been avoided…a lot of things could’ve been avoided…this has happened too many times where somebody’s hit by a stray bullet or somebody’s hit intentionally," Dejuan said.
They said they believe new laws passed in the state are partially to blame for the careless use of firearms and want to see something done about gun violence.
"The laws of guns … they have to change. I don’t know what the system has to do, I don’t know what the governor has to do. Governor Kemp, I don’t know what you have to do, but it’s getting out of control," Taylor said, addressing Gov. Brian Kemp directly.
The family said their prayer now is that the person responsible will find the strength to come forward as they lean on their own strength and one another to overcome the grief.
Pastor Ellison said he’s working with Crime Stoppers to offer a $10,000 reward for tips that lead to an arrest.
DeKalb County police said they did not have any updates on the case to share at this time, but if you have any information, give detectives a call.