Federal prosecutors say the accused gunman fired at the 17-year-old during a random attack at Midtown Station.
ATLANTA, Ga. — A 17-year-old Atlanta student-athlete was shot multiple times on a MARTA train June 5 while returning from a science and engineering program at Georgia Tech, authorities and school officials said.
J’Von Easterling, a rising senior at KIPP Atlanta Schools and a state champion in track and field, survived the shooting but suffered serious injuries to his hand and leg. Federal prosecutors have charged Anthony Gresham, 42, of Lithia Springs, in the case. Authorities described the shooting as an attack on a mass transportation system and said Easterling did not appear to know the accused gunman.
The shooting happened before 7 p.m. Friday at Midtown MARTA Station while Easterling was inside a stationary train, according to reports from authorities and local officials. Easterling had been riding home after attending a summer science and engineering program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. A fundraiser for the family described the attack as “random and senseless” and said a crossbody bag across Easterling’s chest stopped a bullet that could have caused fatal injuries.
KIPP Atlanta Schools said Easterling is known as a strong student, athlete and campus leader. “J’Von is an exceptional young man who represents the very best of KIPP Atlanta Schools,” the school system said in a statement. The school said he is a state champion in track and field and active in student government. Supporters said he has undergone multiple surgeries on his leg and is expected to need additional surgery for his hand.
Federal prosecutors said Gresham walked toward the area where Easterling was sitting and fired three shots in his direction. Gresham then fled the scene, authorities said. He was arrested two days later in Douglas County. Prosecutors said Gresham has prior convictions, including armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, theft and robbery by force. Because of those convictions, prosecutors said, he was barred from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Gresham faces federal charges of committing an act of violence with intent to cause serious bodily injury on a mass transportation system, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The charges were announced Tuesday, June 9, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. Gresham is expected to answer the charges in federal court at a later date.
The shooting came during a period of renewed concern about violent crime on Atlanta’s transit system. In May, 66-year-old Margaret Swan was fatally stabbed aboard a MARTA train in a separate case. Federal authorities also filed charges in that attack. The cases have drawn attention to safety on trains and at stations as MARTA remains a key transportation system for workers, students and visitors across metro Atlanta.
Family supporters said Easterling’s recovery will be long. The fundraiser said his mother has stayed by his side and has been unable to work while he remains hospitalized. The page described Easterling as an aspiring engineer who has worked hard in school, sports and community life. Officials have not released a motive in the shooting, and investigators have not said that Easterling had any prior connection to Gresham.
As of Wednesday, June 10, Easterling was recovering from his injuries, and the federal case against Gresham was pending. The next major step is Gresham’s appearance in federal court, where prosecutors are expected to lay out the charges tied to the MARTA shooting.