'Senseless loss of life': Customer killed in Manuel's Tavern shooting ID'd - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Manuel’s Tavern proprietor Brian Maloof said the antheral was walking to his car erstwhile helium noticed idiosyncratic pulling connected car handles and looking into windows. He was changeable erstwhile successful the thorax erstwhile helium confronted the gunman.

The unfortunate was identified by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office arsenic 54-year-old Dean Phillips. He was described by friends arsenic a joined begetter of 4 big children and had adopted a niece.

“My bosom aches for the household of the victim,” Maloof told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution by phone. “It’s conscionable a senseless nonaccomplishment of life.”

The shooting was reported soon aft 11 p.m. astatine the North Highland Avenue watering hole, an Atlanta instauration frequented by vicinity regulars and politicians that dates to 1956. Maloof, who was not astatine the concern Thursday but has since spoken with his employees, said it was witnessed by arsenic galore arsenic 15 radical eating connected the bar’s patio.

Phillips archetypal yelled astatine the gunman successful the parking batch earlier yelling astatine the different customers for help, asking them to telephone the constabulary to study idiosyncratic “breaking into cars,” helium said. He was changeable during a scuffle, according to witnesses, and onlookers called constabulary arsenic the gunman jumped into a waiting car and fled the scene.

“Two Manuel’s employees, 1 a seasoned with subject grooming to dainty gunshot wounds, started archetypal assistance instantly but they could not halt the bleeding wholly and, arsenic the unfortunate started to suffer his heartbeat, they started CPR,” Maloof said successful a connection connected Facebook.

Phillips was pronounced dormant astatine the country by EMS, according to Atlanta police. He and his woman would person celebrated their 23rd wedding day connected Sunday, his friends said.

Maloof said the barroom has seen its stock of car break-ins successful the past, but it was not an ongoing problem. The summation of outdoor seating during the COVID-19 pandemic has deterred transgression significantly, helium said, adding that the deadly shooting was a “tragic archetypal for us.”

Maloof is turning his attraction to his employees, including his ain household members, and trying to marque them consciousness safe. He said helium wished helium could alleviate their fears.

“It’s similar it happened successful their home,” helium said. “My girl works here. My woman works here. It’s precise disturbing to maine arsenic well.”

Investigators worked the country overnight, dusting vehicles for fingerprints and speaking with witnesses. Maloof said the concern besides turned implicit information footage to police. As of Friday, nary suspects were publically identified.

It was the 2nd fatal shooting successful northeast Atlanta that constabulary investigated wrong the span of 2 hours, and the 3rd crossed the metropolis Thursday.

Another man was changeable and killed astatine a portion mall on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard soon aft 3:30 p.m., constabulary said. Before the extremity of the day, constabulary arrested 49-year-old Terrence Heard connected charges of execution and possession of a firearm during the committee of a felony.

Hours later, astatine astir 9:15 p.m., a gunshot unfortunate was discovered adjacent a Wendy’s connected Boulevard successful the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. That unfortunate was recovered successful an alleyway changeable successful the backmost of the head, constabulary told Channel 2 Action News.

The circumstances surrounding his decease stay nether investigation, and his sanction was not released. No fishy was publically identified successful that case.

The killings bring the city’s homicide number to 135 for the year, up from 133 astatine this constituent successful 2021.

Anyone with accusation connected immoderate of Thursday’s homicides is asked to interaction Atlanta police. Tipsters tin stay anonymous, and beryllium eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta astatine 404-577-8477, texting accusation to 274637 oregon visiting the Crime Stoppers website.

This is simply a processing story. Please instrumentality to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.

— Staff writer Alexis Stevens contributed to this article.