Man Charged In Shooting That Killed Clark Atlanta Student

ATLANTA, GA — A man has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a Clark Atlanta University student, Atlanta Police said Thursday.

Jatonne Sterling, 20, was shot to death off-campus around 1:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 800 block of Beckwith Street, police said. He died at the scene.

Keontay Holliman-Peoples, 25, is charged on suspicion of murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession/purchase of marijuana and conspiracy to commit a felony, police said. He was taken into custody by Atlanta Police.

Sterling was a sophomore at CAU, a Chicago native and a member of the university's baseball team, school officials said in a news release.

"Clark Atlanta University continues to grieve the death of one of our students, Mr. Jatonne Sterling," Clark Atlanta University Police Chief Debra Williams said at a news conference Thursday. " ... We offer our condolences not only to Jatonne but (also to) our baseball team and his friends and the entire Clark Atlanta University campus."

Atlanta Criminal Investigations Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said the killing was not random.

Sterling knew Holliman-Peoples and the two had been in communication Tuesday morning, Hampton said.

At the scene of the shooting, a white Toyota was parked behind the Catholic Student Center in a parking lot, Hampton said. Sterling got into the car, where Holliman-Peoples and another male were, he said.

There was a dispute in the car that escalated, killing Sterling and injuring Holliman-Peoples, Hampton said.

Police are searching for the third male that was inside the car, he said.

CAU students held a candlelight vigil Wednesday for Sterling and Williams said counseling services have increased at the university.

Atlanta Police, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office and other law-enforcement partners of CAU have increased patrol surrounding the Atlanta University Center Consortium since the shooting due to its size, Williams said.