The victims included Lauren Bullis, a 40-year-old Department of Homeland Security auditor who was shot and stabbed while walking her dog near Abel's home. Another victim was an unidentified woman fatally shot outside a Checkers restaurant on Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur around 12:52 a.m., while a third was a 49-year-old homeless man shot multiple times while sleeping outside a Kroger grocery store in Brookhaven around 2 a.m. The homeless man remains hospitalized in stable but critical condition.
Abel was granted U.S. citizenship in 2022 while serving in the Navy and stationed in the San Diego area. He lived with six others in separate units of a home listed on PadSplit, a platform offering low-cost shared housing. Shortly before the shootings, Abel stormed out of his communal house after getting into an intense argument with a male roommate over the air conditioning.
Since President Trump took office, USCIS has implemented measures to ensure individuals with criminal histories and who otherwise lack good moral character do not attain citizenship.
Abel had a prior 2015 sexual battery conviction and was on probation, which included a mental health evaluation mandate, at the time of the attacks. According to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Abel's criminal record included convictions for sexual battery, battery against a police officer, obstruction, assault with a deadly weapon, and vandalism.
Roommate Lakisha Mckinzie said she had been afraid of Abel ever since he inappropriately touched her last month after asking her on a date. Mckinzie said she complained to her landlord multiple times about Abel's behavior, but no action was taken.
These acts of pure evil have devastated our Department and my prayers are with the families of the victims.
Police tracked Abel's rented Volkswagen Jetta using license plate recognition technology, leading to his arrest in Troup County. Abel waived his first court appearance, and authorities have not offered a potential motive for the attacks.
PadSplit did not respond to a request for comment about whether it knew about Abel's alleged behavior in the home. A GoFundMe has been launched to help support Bullis' husband Jimmie, raising about $11,200 from an initial $18,000 goal as of Wednesday.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Lauren was a bright spot for so many of the DHS community. She brought warmth, kindness, and a genuine sense of care to her colleagues each day.