Indian-origin student Akash Banerjee shot dead in Georgia, police say it was a 'targeted act'

A 22-year-old Indian-origin tech student, Akash Banerjee, was shot in the head in the apartment he used to stay in near the Georgia Tech campus. This incident took place on May 18 and now the Georgia Police have released surveillance footage claiming that it was a targeted act, and they have the suspect's photo from the surveillance footage. The accused was looking for Banerjee, who has a criminal history, the police said without elaborating on what type of criminal past Banerjee had. In a press conference yesterday, the Atlanta Police Department said the student was identified as Akash Banerjee by the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office. He was shot in the head on the ninth floor of The Connector student apartments in posh Midtown. He was taken to Grady Hospital, where he died on Tuesday. “We’re at a point where we believe this was a targeted act,” APD Homicide Commander Andrew Smith said during the press conference, Fox5Atlanta reported.The department released a surveillance video in which the suspect was seen walking down the hallway with what seems like a gun protruding from his pocket -- 10 minutes before the shooting. Andrew Smith confirmed that the alleged shooter had been to be building previously looking for Banerjee.

Banerjee's building has key card access without which nobody can enter, and it's to be investigated how the shooter got one. Police said there was an altercation between the two, following which Banerjee was shot. The shooter has not been named but identified as a person of interest. “He was in the hallway well before the victim arrived,” Smith said, “which is why we believe the victim was targeted.”A person who lives in the same building called 911 and reported hearing a loud noise and seeing someone lying on the floor outside their door. "There is someone in front of my door who is lying on the floor, and we heard a loud noise," the caller told the dispatcher. "I don’t know if he’s dead, but I don’t want to open the door. I don’t want to get in trouble. I don’t know what happened."Police said they have reasons to believe that Banerjee knew the shooter but they are yet to find out the connection between them. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of one of our students. This loss is felt across our community, and our hearts go out to the student’s family, friends and loved ones. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the medical professionals who provided such dedicated care,” Georgia Tech School said in a statement.