atlanta — A man who immigrated to the United States has been charged A series of deadly attacks In the suburbs of Atlanta, which quickly caught the attention of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Olokitan Adon Abel, a British citizen, whose name appears in various forms in court and government records, is accused of killing two women, including a Department of Homeland Security employee, and seriously wounding a man.
Interior Secretary Markwayne Mullen called the shootings “pure acts of evil” and raised concerns that Adon Appel, 26, would obtain US citizenship in 2022, when Democrat Joe Biden was president.
Here’s what’s known about the rampage.
The attacks rocked the Atlanta suburbs of Decatur, Brookhaven and Pantersville in the early morning hours of Monday.
The first victim, whose identity has not been publicly released, was found with gunshot wounds near a Decatur-area restaurant around 1 a.m. She was taken to the hospital but died, DeKalb County Sheriff Gregory Badrick said.
A 49-year-old homeless man was shot several times while sleeping outside a grocery store in Brookhaven, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) northwest of the first attack, Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gourley said. The man, whose name has not been revealed, remains in hospital in critical condition.
Department of Homeland Security worker Lauren Polis, who was walking her dog more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) away in Panthersville, was found at about 7 a.m. with gunshot wounds and stab wounds. She died at the scene, Padrick said.
Brookhaven investigators determined the three attacks were connected, Gurley said.
Authorities said they believe at least one victim was randomly targeted.
Polis has held multiple roles in the DHS Office of Inspector General, including as auditor and innovation team leader. DHS posted on social media that she brings a “genuine sense of care to her colleagues every day.”
Her family said in a statement that she loved running, reading and traveling, and her “warmth and generosity touched everyone around her.”
Fellow DHS reviewer Ashley Tollion of Denver called Polis “the nicest, sweetest, most encouraging person I’ve ever met.”
Military records show that the defendant enlisted in the Navy in 2020, most recently serving in the Marine Helicopter Strike Squadron in Coronado, California, and as a petty officer earned a Navy “E” ribbon for superior performance for battle readiness.
Adon Abel pleaded guilty in October 2024 to assaulting two police officers with a deadly weapon and assaulting another person while he was stationed in Coronado, according to California court records.
He faces first-degree murder, aggravated assault and firearms charges in Monday’s attacks, court records show. He waived an initial court appearance Tuesday, and the public defender listed as his attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Adon Abel has a criminal record that includes a conviction for sexual battery, Mullen said. Online court records show that a person listed with a similar name and same date of birth pleaded guilty last June in Chatham County, Georgia, to four misdemeanor counts of sexual assault.
It was not immediately clear whether Adon Abel had a prior criminal record and became a US citizen in 2022. The United States has long barred people convicted of most violent crimes from obtaining citizenship.