Security guard deadly shooting: Accused shooter offered plea deal

ATLANTA - Ty Ross’ death was nearly 2 years ago. With a few weeks to go until the grim anniversary, his fiancée, Aaliyah Strong was back at the place which would forever change her life.

"You have memories of that night, but I made a promise to myself, to his family, to everybody, that I was going to see it through," she said.

In February 2022, prosecutors say Damon Wilson shot Ross, who was working security at Encore Hookah Bar on Luckie Street. Investigators say the downtown Atlanta bar kicked Wilson out and that is when he grabbed a gun and killed Strong's fiancé. So far, Wilson has not gone to trial, but that could soon change.

"I do hope that we get justice at the end of this and that everyone's able to move forward and begin to heal," Strong said.

Fulton County court records show Wilson will appear before a judge for a final plea hearing Friday with his trial set to get underway later this month. For Strong, that will mean having to watch the video of her fiancé’s murder in court.

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"We're going to have to relive everything that happened that night and so that's super scary," Strong said. "Nerve-racking."

Encore has shuttered since Ross was killed, in part, because of Strong. She is using her grief to do good. She launched "Tyme to Thrive," an Atlanta area nonprofit that aims to put an end to gun violence and help those impacted by it.

"I've gotten a lot of healing through my organization and just being able to help other families," she said. "It's just unfortunate, you know, that people are going through this all over the place."

Strong says she plans to be at Friday's hearing and will be in the courtroom for the trial.