Former dentist appears in court after fatal shooting outside office

Former dentist charged in fatal shooting

73-year-old David Mays, a former dentist, has been charged in connection with a fatal shooting outside his old office. Here's the latest. 

ATLANTA - A 73-year-old former dentist appeared in front of a Fulton County judge on Monday after police said he shot and killed a man outside an office over the weekend. 

What we know:

David Mays is accused of murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Mays is booked at the Fulton County Jail.

David Mays, 73, is accused of killing a man outside an apparent dental office bearing his name. (Booking photo: Fulton County Sheriff's Office) 

Mays was detained at the scene of the shooting on Saturday and formally charged on Sunday. 

RELATED: Man arrested for fatal shooting outside Atlanta dentist office, victim ID'd

The backstory:

Atlanta police responded to the building in the 3400 block of Martin Luther King Drive SW around 3:05 p.m. on Saturday for a report of a person shot.

When officers arrived, they found a man, identified as Monterio Spurling, 37, who was not breathing and suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Paramedics pronounced the man dead on the scene.

A sign on the front of the building read "Dr. David Mays, Dentist." Records show Mays has not been licensed in dentistry since 1996.

The Atlanta Police Department's homicide unit is leading the investigation.   

What we don't know:

Police have not confirmed what led up to the shooting. 

What they're saying:

Across the street from the former dental office, Beatrice Wilson owns a nail salon.

"This is a very safe community, a very loving community," Wilson told FOX 5. While she said she wasn't surprised to hear about Saturday's fatal shooting, she called it "a very unfortunate event."

Echoing her boss, Jasmin Pizarro told FOX 5, "It's unfortunate to have things like that happen, but it's almost normal because you can't stop it, you know?"

Still, employees at the nail salon say they believe the corridor is "up-and-coming." They say they have dedicated the space as a home for the community to support Black-owned businesses and "elevate together."