Atlanta police make arrest after rash of carjackings

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Atlanta Police have made an arrest in a violent carjacking of a Morehouse College student. And authorities say this is not Jonathan McGahee's first brush with the law.

SKYFOX 5 flew over the scene not far from Morehouse after Atlanta Police arrested McGahee and took him to jail. Police say McGahee carjacked a Morehouse student at gunpoint just after he left the library. The victim said he got done studying for mid-terms when he came face to face with a gun.

It's a challenge for the police. They have one in custody but there are two others out there who committed separate crimes.

McGahee was picked up without incident and taken away by a squad of Atlanta Police officers serving a warrant on an apartment a short distance from the historically black colleges and universities in the city. The man was one of two students and three motorists overall who were accosted in the past week.

Police say McGahee, who apparently acted alone and play no role in the other carjackings, approached with an offer to sell drugs as a ruse for what he wanted, the victim’s vehicle.

“Since my phone was in the car, he stole that as well, we were able to track it and found out the car was right there and reported that to the police and through the grace of God and my iPhone, we were able to find my car,” victim Devin Rector said.

APD promised to intensify patrols. Residents in the area say they have seen that extra coverage.

“A lot of helicopters flying over. Especially at night. Probably last two or three nights, helicopters they haven't stopped. You know if this is going to quiet everything down, we want to get it back to the peace that's been here,” said Jeff James.

Police say the three individual suspects hit at a particularly vulnerable time after midnight and all three use kind of an approach in which they said, “want to buy some drugs.” So motorists who see somebody approaches and can’t be identified, it may be a good idea for the driver to not engage and just drive away safely.

RELATED: Second Morehouse College student carjacked in less than a week

Atlanta Police are still trying to make an arrest in two other carjackings and a shooting that happened within a mile of the carjacking police made arrest in on Friday. But they don't think any of the crimes are connected.

MORE: Police: Clark Atlanta student shot in back while driving

Last week, a Morehouse College student went home after studying at the library until 4 in the morning. Two men robbed and carjacked him outside his off-campus apartment.

MORE: Lyft driver carjacked in northwest Atlanta

And early Wednesday morning, carjackers targeted a ride-sharing driver who'd just dropped off a fare and stopped to smoke a cigarette in the area of Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard. The robbers took his money and his car.

And a 19-year-old college student was driving near the Clark Atlanta campus last week when she was shot in the back. She lost control of her car and drove off the road. Police say this was not a random shooting. They believe she was targeted.

MORE: Donor helps Morehouse student get home after carjacking