The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

AUTHORITIES in Atlanta, Georgia, offered a $2,000 reward yesterday for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for fatally shooting a 24-year-old Bahamian mother in the head last Thursday.

According to Fox News 5, Atlanta police still have very little information about Shanna Smith’s death.

Smith was shot at least twice in the head while driving a dark green BMW near Hadlock Street and Leslie Avenue around 5am last Thursday, according to Atlanta police.

Officers initially thought the shooting was a fire, after receiving a call about a BMW on fire near Leslie Avenue.

Authorities instead found Smith shot behind the steering wheel of a BMW wedged between trees and shrubbery. The wheels were still spinning causing smoke, probably because her foot was pressing on the accelerator, according to reports.

Meanwhile, Smith’s relatives have set up a GoFundMe account to assist in funeral expenses.

Wendy Bond, who organised the page, said the family is still “in shock and coming to terms with the murder.”

“On August 4, 2016 a beautiful life was cut short due to gun violence,” Ms Bond wrote on the fundraising website.

“Shanna Smith was only 24 years old and a single mother of a four-year-old son. She was a kind and loving young lady and on Thursday morning Shanna was caught in a crossfire that left her dead with two bullets to the head. As we are still in shock and coming to terms with what took place, we are in need of help for burial preparation. All your help will be greatly appreciated and we the family would just like to extend our gratitude in advance.”

Up to press time, the page received $1,805 of its $10,000 goal.

Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the Bahamas Consulate General in Atlanta was in close contact with Smith’s mother, who was in Atlanta, and the chief of police of Atlanta.

Investigators don’t know if Smith was targeted or just a victim of a random shooting. They believe she was on her way home from work at Amazon.

They also found nearly 30 shell casings on the scene but police aren’t sure if some of those casings are from an earlier incident on the street.

Police currently do not have any suspects in custody.