These are the victims of the Atlanta-area shootings

A loving father with a thriving family. A special Department of Homeland Security employee. A teenage mother.

These are the people who died after a while killing spree last week The incident, which took place in several suburbs of Atlanta, devastated three families.

On April 13, Lauren Bullis, 40, Prianna Weathers, 31, and Tony Matthews, 48, were shot within hours of each other while going about life’s mundane tasks.

Based on surveillance footage and license plate readers, authorities said they believe a man named Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, of Atlanta, shot all three victims in an attack highlighted by the Trump administration.

Bullis and Weathers died immediately from their wounds. Matthews remained in the hospital for six days until he died on April 19.

As one of four siblings, Matthews was part of a large family and was also starting a family of her own.

His sister-in-law, Miranda Matthews, told CNN that he and his wife had a daughter last year and that he recently brought his three stepchildren from Uganda, where their mother is from. She had been working to get visas for her children, but said the process had now been paused as her family grieved the loss of their loving father and husband.

He said Tony Matthews was the kind of person who would help anyone. His brother, Michael Matthews, said the birth of his daughter, who will turn 1 in June, was an incredibly special moment for him.

“He was so happy. It made him an even better person, and he was already a great person,” she said.

Police had previously said Tony Matthews was homeless, but his family said he was not and said he did not have identification when he was found shot outside a grocery store in Brookhaven in the early morning hours of April 13.

Miranda Matthews said she was there to say goodbye to her daughter when her condition worsened, a moment the family recorded to keep alive the memory of her father, who doted on her very much. family right now fundraising to help pay for his funeral.

Bullis brought joy and kindness to his neighborhood

In his work at DHS, Bullis was known as a dedicated employee and a “consummate professional” who, in his words, was “dedicated to public service.” obituary.

But he was also an adventurous explorer who traveled the world and brought joy to friends near and far.

“It’s impossible to meet him and not be his friend,” my DHS auditor friend said Ashley Toillion he told the Associated Press. “He was the nicest, sweetest, most encouraging person I have ever met.”

Bullis was a beloved fixture in his neighborhood; She could often be seen running, walking her French bulldog, Sancho, or tending to the flowers she had planted in her garden.

“He embraced the sport of running with great gusto, running 5km, 10km and half marathons across the country,” he said. obituary he says. “Lauren always wanted a spare key so she could travel for miles while visiting loved ones without waking her hosts.”

Just last month, Bullis completed his first marathon in Atlanta.

“He’s very athletic,” said neighbor Portia Powell. “If he’s not walking the dog, he’s running.”

Powell has formed a strong friendship with Bullis in recent years, bonding over their shared love of gardening.

“It’s always ‘Hello Ms. Portia, how are you?'” Powell said. “he asks… he’s very approachable and friendly,” he said.

Powell said Bullis was shot and stabbed while walking his dog in Panthersville, an unincorporated community about 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta, and that his death “had a huge impact on the neighborhood.” “I think this will allow us all to be more informed about what’s going on in the neighborhood and to look out for each other.”

The agency said the tragedy devastated Bullis’ colleagues in the DHS Office of Inspector General, where he was an auditor and team leader.

“Lauren approached her job with integrity, thoughtfulness, and a commitment to excellence that strengthens our organization and the communities we serve,” DHS said. “He brought warmth, kindness and a genuine sense of concern to his colleagues every day.”

Bullis’ husband, stepdaughter, parents, and siblings are now united in grief; They are deprived of their generous, joyful, world-traveling beacons of light.

“He put the needs of others before his own, caring for sick friends and those who were simply overindulged many times over the years. He was immensely entertaining, a wonderful host, dignified, unpretentious and extremely funny,” says Bullis’ obituary.

“Lauren loved to travel alone and with others, visiting far-flung places in Egypt, Peru, Greece, Spain, Ireland, and France, among many others,” he wrote. “He was forever planning his next trip.”

Another victim’s family mourns quietly in North Carolina

As back-to-back attacks shake communities across Georgia, Prianna Weathers’ mother grieves privately at her home in North Carolina.

“This was a senseless death,” he told CNN. “All of these people he killed… these were innocent people. He had no reason to hurt them. They weren’t doing anything to him.”

Weathers was killed 31 years ago in Decatur, not far from where he was born, his mother said.

Weathers asked not to be identified to protect the privacy of the 12-year-old son he suddenly found himself raising and who had to grow up without his mother.

There is no clear relationship between the victims and the suspect

It is unclear why the three were attacked and investigators are looking into whether the attacks were random.

Bullis’ work at DHS and Adon Abel’s status as a naturalized citizen have led to questions and criticism from the agency about the crimes the suspect committed after becoming a U.S. citizen.

Don Plummer of the Georgia Public Defenders Council declined to provide details about the suspect’s case and background.

“We understand the intense public interest in this case, but Mr. Abel has the same constitutional rights as the other defendants, and it is our duty to protect those rights in court,” he told CNN.

“This is a tragic and serious case. Nothing about the defense of constitutional rights diminishes that. In fact, the rule of law matters most when emotions are high and the allegations are most serious.”

DHS said UK citizen Adon Abel became a US citizen in 2022.

The naturalization process often takes years, and it is unclear whether the bulk of Adon Abel’s transactions took place during the first Trump administration or the Biden administration. DHS did not respond to CNN’s question about the suspect’s naturalization timeline.

DHS blamed the previous administration for Adon Abel’s naturalization, describing the suspect as a “monster.” Facebook post.

agency also said Adon Abel was convicted of multiple crimes, including sexual assault and assault with a deadly weapon. Court records show a defendant listed as Adon Olaolukitan pleaded guilty to four counts of misdemeanor sexual assault for an incident that occurred in Georgia in 2025 and was sentenced to 48 months probation.

Another court filing shows a defendant named “Olaolukitan Adonabel” pleaded guilty in California to a 2024 aggravated assault with a deadly weapon “other than a firearm directed at a police officer or firefighter.” It is stated that the suspect’s name may also appear in this recording as Olaolukitan Adon Abel or Adon Olaolukitan.

Records show several more charges, but those cases were dismissed.

The public defender council harshly criticized DHS’s description of the suspect.

“It is irresponsible and disturbing for public officials to label an accused person a ‘monster’ before sentencing,” Plummer said. “Such language may be politically expedient, but it erodes the fundamental right to fair trial and due process.”

Adon Abel was taken into custody during a traffic stop on April 13 in Georgia’s Troup County, which borders Alabama. Police said he now faces several charges, including two counts of premeditated murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a crime. After Matthews died, police said they wanted to add a new charge of malice murder.

CNN’s Chris Boyette reported from Decatur, Georgia; Holly Yan reported and wrote from Atlanta; and Taylor Romine reported and wrote from Los Angeles. CNN’s Sneha Dhandapani, Ryan Young, Jason Morris and Lindsey Knight contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters, create an account at: CNN.com