Man pleads guilty to 2022 murder of security guard at hookah lounge in Atlanta

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A man accused of killing a security guard almost three years ago has taken a plea deal.

Damon Wilson pleaded guilty Monday to voluntary manslaughter and will serve 25 years in prison. Judge Belinda Edwards said she reluctantly accepted the recommended sentence, calling it a “senseless crime.”

He faced multiple charges, including murder. As part of the plea deal, that was reduced to voluntary manslaughter.

The shooting happened at the Encore Hookah and Bistro back in February of 2022. Investigators say Wilson got into an argument with the security guard, 28-year-old Tyshon Ross, and shot and killed him.

Prosecutors say the argument was over a $20 bottle of liquor Wilson tried to bring inside. He was kicked out and shortly after punched Ross in the face before shooting him multiple times.

“I was surprised. He’s been offered a plea numerous times and never taken it, so I had in my mind to prepare for a trial,” said Ross’ fiancée, Aaliyah Strong. “I was not prepared to see the video, I did not want to see the evidence, but I was prepared to if need be. So, just seeing now that he took the plea and just admittedly, you know, took accountability for what he did.”

As Judge Edwards decided to move forward with the guilty plea and sentencing, Ross’ mother joined the courtroom virtually to say she was thankful she doesn’t have to hear how her son was gunned down during a trial. But she added it was selfish of the defendant to wait until Monday to plead guilty when he had so many other opportunities over the last almost three years.

“It was just hard to hear because there’s really no winners. In the end of it, you think you’re going to get some type of closure from the verdict, but nobody wins. There’s someone who is going to prison. Ty obviously is gone and it’s just hard,” said Strong. “I just thought it was going to feel different than what it does today, but it doesn’t feel any better.”

“My heart aches for Tyshon Ross’ parents and loved ones,” said District Attorney Fani Willis in a statement after the ruling.

“While this guilty plea cannot undo this senseless act of violence, I am thankful that the case reached a resolution everyone could accept, sparing the family the ordeal of a trial and allowing them the opportunity to heal,” said Willis.

Judge Edwards told Wilson she isn’t sure if he’s seen recent news articles, but “the Georgia prison system is not where you want to be.”

The city of Atlanta ended up filing a lawsuit against the problematic hookah bar in March 2022. According to the lawsuit, Atlanta police had been called to the Encore at least 171 times since February 2020.

A hearing for the lawsuit was held in April 2022 where Encore agreed to cease doing business and vacate the property.

On Monday, Habif Properties listed 320 Luckie Street, the address of the former lounge, as an available property on its website.