Atlanta police search for two suspects after I-285 ramp shooting killed an unborn child

Investigation focuses on December 20 gunfire near Cascade Road in southwest Atlanta

Atlanta police are seeking two suspects in connection with a shooting near an Interstate 285 ramp in southwest Atlanta that left an unborn child dead and injured two adults.

The shooting occurred on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at about 5:21 p.m. near the I-285 southbound ramp at Cascade Road SW. Officers responding to reports of a person shot found a 21-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, police said. Both were described as alert, conscious and breathing when they were transported to a hospital for treatment.

Investigators later determined the 18-year-old woman was pregnant and that her unborn child had also been struck by gunfire. Medical personnel pronounced the unborn child dead.

What authorities have confirmed — and what remains unknown

Police have not publicly identified the adult victims. The investigation is being led by the Atlanta Police Department’s Homicide Unit, which is working to determine the circumstances that led to the shooting and to identify those responsible.

• Confirmed: The incident happened on the I-285 southbound ramp area at Cascade Road SW on Dec. 20, 2025, around 5:21 p.m.

• Confirmed: Two adults were wounded; the unborn child died after being struck.

• Unreleased: The motive, whether the victims were targeted, and the number of shots fired.

• Unreleased: Suspect descriptions beyond the fact that investigators are seeking two suspects.

Scene response and traffic impact

The shooting unfolded on a heavily traveled stretch of metro Atlanta’s perimeter highway system. The police response partially shut down lanes in the area as investigators worked the scene. Images from the location showed vehicles pulled to the roadside as officers documented evidence.

How highway shootings complicate investigations

Cases involving gunfire on or near interstates can present challenges for investigators, including limited witness access, rapidly changing traffic patterns, and the likelihood that suspects quickly leave the area. Detectives typically examine physical evidence recovered at the scene, seek surveillance or roadway camera footage, and work to identify witnesses who were traveling through at the time.

Police have indicated the information released so far is preliminary and subject to change as the investigation develops.

Atlanta police are asking anyone with information about the shooting or the suspects to contact authorities.