DeKalb mother mourns son killed in senseless parking lot shooting

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A DeKalb County mother is heartbroken after her son, Antonio Adler, was shot and killed by a total stranger last month.

According to the DeKalb County Police Department, the deadly shooting happened in the parking lot of the Shops at Water's Edge on Rockbridge Road. 

The victim's mother, Juanique Carrington, says the motive was just senseless.

"I am feeling devastated. My heart is broken," Carrington said. 

Carrington says her pain will never go away. She is mourning the loss of her only son, who police say was murdered in his car while leaving this parking lot back on Nov. 24. 

Carrington says her son went to get a haircut at 3 p.m. at the barbershop at the Shops at Waters Edge on Rockbridge Road. She says witnesses in the shopping center have told her what happened when Antonio encountered a stranger.

"Somebody just asked him, ‘What are you looking at?’ And he said, ‘I'm not looking at you, bro," she said. "The shooter then walked away, and I heard he was standing right there waiting for him to drive out of the parking lot." 

Carrington has a video, given to her by someone in the area, that shows her son driving out of the parking lot in a green car. Gunshots can then be heard. Someone then appears to run off. 

"It's just unbelievable, like this is something, it's stupid, it's senseless. It's ridiculous. It just doesn't make any sense," she said.

She says Antonio recently graduated from HVAC school, was working for Pepsi and was planning to buy his own house. The 28-year-old had so many dreams that will never be realized. 

"He was a very loving son. Very kind, very, very respectful. Never talks back, never talks back. Emotionally, my heart is ripped into many pieces," she concluded. 

Police have made no arrests, but Carrington is hopeful because she says several people in the neighborhood have told her they know exactly who the shooter is.