New father shot, killed near South Bend Park in Atlanta identified

Police say they found Jackson in a car that had fallen down an embankment.
Published: Mar. 24, 2023 at 5:51 PM EDT|Updated: Mar. 24, 2023 at 7:43 PM EDT
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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - UPDATE: The man has been identified as 31-year-old Owen Jackson.

Police say they found Jackson in a car that had fallen down an embankment. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to friends and Jackson’s girlfriend, Jackson was trying to sell a car when he was shot. They say Jackson worked on cars for a living.

“Everyone is kind of distraught. I mean, never in a million years did I think that this is what, this is how he would’ve went out,” said Lamont Adrien. “He just went to sell his car and then unfortunately, people have more evil intentions,” he said. “He was selling his car. He had an SRT Jeep that was pretty cool. I kind of helped him build it. Built it, put it together. We built a few cars together,” Adrien said.

“Apparently what they’re saying, he was probably robbed like they tried to steal his car and I guess, they didn’t steal his car but try shot him,” Adrien said.

Adrien said the two lived together, and they did mechanic work with one another. Adrien said Jackson is from Detroit and believes he has only been here a few years.

“Me and Owen met probably about three years ago, working on a car. I needed help with a car through a friend of a friend,” Adrien said. “He became my best friend. We worked on tons of cars together. He lived with me. I mean we hung out every day,” he said. “I saw him this morning, probably around 9:00 right before I went to work,” he said.

Adrien said Jackson is a new father. He also said Jackson just celebrated an anniversary with his girlfriend the night before.

“He was a good person that. He tried really hard to be a good person,” Adrien said. “I’m in shock. Like I want to mourn, but I feel like I shouldn’t mourn because I just saw him. You know what I mean. I literally, my uncle passed away not even a month ago so. Like for this to happen,” he said. “I couldn’t ever imagine going to my best friend’s funeral like. I don’t even know what to say. There are so many emotions. I want to cry. I want to find out who did it. You know what I mean. It’s a lot,” Adrien added.

ORIGINAL STORY: Police are investigating a deadly shooting near South Bend Park in Atlanta.

According to Atlanta police, a person was shot and killed at 1955 Compton Drive SE.

Our Atlanta News First Chopper flew over the scene and captured multiple law enforcement vehicles, and fire officials, along with a car with major damage seen below a cliff.

Fulton County fire officials told Atlanta News First that they were called to the same address because a car fell off a 30-foot embankment.

At this time, no further information is being made available.

Atlanta News First is at the scene gathering more details in this death investigation.