Man found shot dead outside Sandy Springs apartments
Police said shots were fired around 4 p.m. Thursday outside Building 3 at the Azalea Park apartment complex in Sandy Springs.
Alondra Alcauter said she, her roommate, and their two children took cover after the first gunshot.
"My roommate yelled hide or get down on the floor that's when I noticed it was gunshots and I heard another two while I grabbed my son," said Alondra Alcauter.
When police arrived they discovered the body of Ricardo Ovalle, of Alpharetta, on the grassy area just outside Alcauter's apartment. Police said the unarmed victim was struck by gunfire at least once in the torso.
"We don't have any information that the victim had a weapon at this time we do have information that there was at least one suspect that was firing at the victim. Motive is yet unknown," said Sgt. Forrest Bohannon with the Sandy Springs Police Department.
She also said a large crime scene was quickly established. Crime tape surrounded several buildings and parking lots. Multiple officers on foot fanned out around the complex. Squad cars were dispatched to surrounding apartment communities. Bloodhounds were brought in, but the gunman got away.
"The detectives are working now on narrowing those witness statements to come up with an idea of who the suspect might have been," said Sgt. Bohannon.
After a couple of hours most of the crime tape was taken down, letting residents get back home. It is unclear if the victim lived there, but his family had not been told of his death.
"I'm sure there's going to be a lot of grief with the family all I can say is that you guys should just come together and lean on one another in your time of hardship," said Treva Clemmons who lives in side the complex.
Sandy Springs Police released a sketch of the gunman on Friday. Police weren't sure if he got away on foot or in a car, but they did tow a silver Infinity coupe from the complex. It was unclear who owned the vehicle.
Anyone with any information is asked to call Sandy Springs Police.