Murder Suspect Arrested in Apartment Shooting

Image: Carlos Eduardo Morales Gallardo (Brookhaven Police Department)

A police sketch generated tips from the public that led to the arrest of a suspect in a fatal shooting Saturday at a Brookhaven apartment complex, according to city police.

Carlos Eduardo Morales Gallardo, 20, has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of Nicolas Morales Garcia, the Brookhaven Police Department announced Tuesday on its Facebook page.

The suspect and shooting victim were relatives, the police said, and detectives believe the shooting “was the result of an ongoing dispute.”

Responding to multiple 911 calls, police officers arrived at the Esquire Apartments, 3102 Buford Highway, and found Morales Garcia between buildings 3098 and 3102, suffering from a single gunshot wound. Their attempts to revive him were not successful, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, the police said.

A forensic artist from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation produced a sketch of the suspected shooter, based on descriptions from witnesses at the scene, the police said. The police was released to the public later that evening.

Police detectives “were able to identify the suspect as Morales Gallardo based on the many tips and leads that were received as a result of the sketch,” the police said.

“The quick outcome of this investigation was made possible by the community and family’s involvement, as well as the hard work of the detectives assigned to this case,” Brookhaven Police Chief Gary Yandura said. “Community partnerships like this will continue to build a safer Brookhaven and reduce crime in our area.”