Troubled RaceTrac near GSU could reopen months after deadly shooting
120 Piedmont Avenue NE, Atlanta on Feb. 25, 2024.
ATLANTA - A troubled gas station near Georgia State's campus in Downtown Atlanta could reopen soon.
The RaceTrac gas station shuttered its doors in February after a 21-year-old man was killed outside of it.
Authorities say the deadly shooting started as a fight between three people on Feb. 25. The incident was the fourth shooting in the same area in little over a year.
A day later, the company announced the store's closure, with RaceTrac's CEO saying they made the decision due to safety concerns.
"I am deeply saddened by the recent senseless acts of violence at and near this store," CEO Natalie Morhous said. "As an Atlanta-based business, we did not reach this decision lightly. We know how important our stores are to the community: They are open to guests 24/7/365, they create local jobs, they generate taxes, and play a critical role in the states in which they operate. However, RaceTrac can only be successful when our stores are safe for our team members and our guests."
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The business has remained closed for months, but a business owner named Baktari Lakhari has recently submitted an application to the city to open a convenience store at the location.
In the application, Lakhari said they want to turn the business into a 24-7 gas station that can sell alcohol.
A decision on the new business could happen later in August.