Police said the violence began shortly after midnight and unfolded across multiple locations.
The first attack occurred around 12:50 a.m., when DeKalb County police found an adult woman with multiple gunshot wounds on Wesley Chapel Road. She was taken to a hospital, where she later died, officials said. Her identity has not been released.
Less than two hours later, a 49-year-old man was shot multiple times while sleeping outside a shopping center in Brookhaven. Police said the man is homeless and had been sleeping in front of closed businesses at Cherokee Plaza when he was shot.
Officers responded around 1:59 a.m. and found the man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition, authorities said.
The violence continued hours later in a residential neighborhood. At about 6:50 a.m., officers responded to Battle Forest Drive, where they found 40-year-old Lauren Bullis with multiple gunshot and stab wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said the attacks appear to have been random.
“It is apparent to us that this was a completely random attack,” Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley said during a Monday evening press briefing.
“Further investigation has revealed that Adon Abel is also responsible for other shootings that occurred earlier in unincorporated DeKalb County,” the Brookhaven Police Department said in a statement.
Investigators said Abel was taken into custody in Troup County without incident following coordination among multiple law enforcement agencies.
When asked by reporters if the suspect had prior contact with law enforcement, officials said they are reviewing records to determine whether he was previously known to police.
Brookhaven police said officers reached the scene within three minutes after receiving real-time 911 audio streamed directly to responding units, allowing them to begin responding before formal dispatch.
Officers provided immediate aid to the wounded man, which Gurley said contributed to his survival.
Authorities also said license plate reader cameras helped identify the suspect vehicle. The system included a privately owned camera operated through a neighborhood homeowners' association as part of a broader partnership with police.
Officials said detectives linked the shootings across jurisdictions as they worked to establish a timeline and identify a suspect.
Authorities have not identified a motive, and the investigation remains active.