Suspect arrested in murder of coach during carjacking at Gwinnett County QT
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Police have arrested a suspect in the deadly shooting of a beloved football coach during an attempted carjacking at a Gwinnett County gas station.
"This incident was a very unusual circumstance and anything that makes our residents feel unsafe while they are in the county we look at very seriously," said Sgt. Jennifer Richter with Gwinnett County Police.
Officials with the Gwinnett County Police Department say they have been working over the clock to figure out who killed 29-year-old Bradley Coleman. On Wednesday, investigators say they arrested 20-year-old David Jarrad Booker of Stone Mountain in connection to the murder.
"It was really priority number one for our detectives because we understand that the public has an expectation that they should be able to go about their business in safety and we believe that is true also," Richter said.
It took police nearly two weeks to arrest Booker. Surveillance video from the QT was key for investigators.
"They worked with Atlanta Police Department to follow up on some video footage and they were able to identify the person using some of that information," Sgt. Richter said.
The shooting happened shortly after 12:30 p.m. on July 10 at the QuikTrip at the intersection of Peachtree Parkway and Peachtree Corners Circle Authorities say Coleman he was trying to stop his car from being stolen while putting air into his tires at gas station.
According to investigators, Coleman was at the air pumps when a black four-door vehicle occupied by three men backed in directly next to him.
(Gwinnett County Police Department)
When one of the suspects entered the Coleman's car from the drivers side, Coleman engaged in a physical altercation with two of the suspects, authorities said.
Officials reported that as the altercation was occurring, a driver of a vehicle, who was unaware of what was happening, pulled up behind Coleman's car to wait to utilize the air pumps, causing one of the suspects to back into the waiting car as they tried to flee.
"The suspect got out of the victim’s vehicle, and one of the suspects shot the victim. Both suspects got back into their vehicle and drove off," the Gwinnett County Police Department stated.
According to a GoFundMe to support his daughter, Coleman "graduated from Norcross high school & won Mr. Norcross 2011, won Norcross High School State Basketball Championship, played football in Louisiana, and came back to Georgia to coach high school football."
Friends mourn the loss of beloved football coach shot and killed in attempted QT car jacking on Peachtree Parkway
Friends tell FOX 5 Atlanta's Rob DiRienzo that Bradley Coleman, the man identified in the attempted car jacking at the QuikTrip in Norcross, was the type of guy to light up a room when he walked in. Authorities are still searching for the suspects who shot Coleman to death.
"It was horrible—just horrible—just complete devastation," said Gloria Coleman
Coleman’s longtime friend Reid Sanders, who played with him at Southern University, said Coleman was back home in Gwinnett to visit over the weekend.
"If I would’ve known I wouldn’t have a chance to talk to him again, I would have told him how much I loved him," Sanders said, holding back tears. "He was just one of the most genuine guys, nice people. Always had a smile on his face. Brought the energy."
Bradley Coleman
Officials have not identified the other two suspects involved in the shooting.
"We want everyone to feel safe to live and work in this county and for the most part they are safe and I feel like they'll be even more safe now that we've made this arrest," Richter said.
The family has planned a celebration of life for Coleman for this Saturday.
If you have any information on this incident, please contact Gwinnett County Police Department detectives at 770-513-5300 or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477) to remain anonymous.