Indian-origin student Akash Banerjee shot dead in Georgia, police say it was a 'targeted act'
A 22-year-old Indian-origin tech student, Akash Banerjee, was shot in the head in the apartment he used to stay in near the Georgia Tech campus. This incident took place on May 18 and now the Georgia Police have released surveillance footage claiming that it was a targeted act, and they have the suspect's photo from the surveillance footage.
The accused was looking for Banerjee, who has a criminal history, the police said without elaborating on what type of criminal past Banerjee had.
In a press conference yesterday, the Atlanta Police Department said the student was identified as Akash Banerjee by the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office. He was shot in the head on the ninth floor of The Connector student apartments in posh Midtown. He was taken to Grady Hospital, where he died on Tuesday.
'We're at a point where we believe this was a targeted act,' APD Homicide Commander Andrew Smith said during the press conference, Fox5Atlanta reported.
The department released a surveillance video in which the suspect was seen walking down the hallway with what seems like a gun protruding from his pocket -- 10 minutes before the shooting. Andrew Smith confirmed that the alleged shooter had been to be building previously looking for Banerjee.
Banerjee's building has key card access without which nobody can enter, and it's to be investigated how the shooter got one. Police said there was an altercation between the two, following which Banerjee was shot.
The shooter has not been named but identified as a person of interest. 'He was in the hallway well before the victim arrived,' Smith said, 'which is why we believe the victim was targeted.'
A person who lives in the same building called 911 and reported hearing a loud noise and seeing someone lying on the floor outside their door.
"There is someone in front of my door who is lying on the floor, and we heard a loud noise," the caller told the dispatcher. "I don't know if he's dead, but I don't want to open the door. I don't want to get in trouble. I don't know what happened."
Police said they have reasons to believe that Banerjee knew the shooter but they are yet to find out the connection between them.
'We are deeply saddened by the passing of one of our students. This loss is felt across our community, and our hearts go out to the student's family, friends and loved ones. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the medical professionals who provided such dedicated care,' Georgia Tech School said in a statement.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
6 minutes ago
- Mint
Vivek Agnihotri on The Bengal Files row: ‘Filmmakers are being silenced in the land of Satyajit Ray'
Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri arrived in Kolkata for the trailer launch of his much-awaited film, The Bengal Files. However, things took an unexpected turn when the scheduled screening at PVR-INOX was abruptly cancelled. The event was then shifted to a private banquet hall in a five-star hotel, but that didn't change the outcome. The trailer screening was halted midway, not once, but twice, with Kolkata Police intervening to stop the launch. 'There are two constitutions in India, one Indian Constitution and another that runs here,' Agnihotri said at the event. If rumours are true, the trailer launch ran into trouble over securing permission from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. However, Agnihotri denied such rumours. 'We have paid all the money, done all the tests here. Today in Bengal, the police are being used for some people's political ambition. This tolabaji will not work with me. My name is Vivek Agnihotri. I cannot be silenced,' he said. After the screening was halted for the first time, Agnihotri alleged that the hotel's wires had been cut to prevent them from showcasing the trailer. Agnihotri alleged that some people came and cut wires. 'Have you ever seen anyone stop an event in a private hotel? I don't know who is doing it and why. Any Indian, Bengali will get to know about the uncovered truth after watching The Bengal Files. Who are these people who don't want people to know this? You already know the answer.' The Bengal Files trailer is currently streaming on YouTube. Written and directed by Agnihotri, the film is produced by him, Abhishek Agarwal, and Pallavi Joshi. The trailer introduced Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, and Pallavi Joshi taking the lead. It is based on the events of the Direct Action Day. The trailer was originally scheduled to release in a multiplex like any other ordinary film. When asked Vivek Agnihotri why his film trailer is being blocked in places, he had no answer. 'Multiple FIRs have been filed against us. ' 'We have taken all permissions. We took permission from ITC, ran tests, or else we would have never organised such an event. They are not telling us why it is being stopped. If this is not a dictatorship, then what is it? If this is not Fascism?' Police officials present at the spot refused to comment on the matter. 'Law and order have failed, and that's why it is important that everybody supports this film, The Bengal Files. So many police have been deployed here as if we are thieves or smugglers. We are filmmakers. If we are being silenced in the land of Satyajit Ray, then you can imagine what the situation is in Bengal," said Agnihotri, reacting upon claims of permission related issues. The Bengal Files has been facing challenges ever since filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri announced it. It is the final installment of his Files franchise. Elaborating on why he chose Kolkata, not any other city, for the release of the trailer despite repeated obstructions, the filmmaker argued that - 'If a film is made on the Dandi March, then where should it be launched?" "This film is about uniting people of Bharat. I don't know why someone would try to suppress this.' Pallavi Joshi, who is a part of the film cast and also the film producer, chimed in, "Yes, it is true that it would have been more convenient for us to launch this trailer somewhere else. People would have been able to watch it too. In fact, it would have been even more convenient if we had not made Bengal Files at all—if we had just made a love story with big stars. But why are we making these kinds of films? "The reason is that in this space, making a movie on this subject is very necessary. The audience will know what has happened to Bharat.' The Bengal Files will be released in theatres on 5 September.
News18
31 minutes ago
- News18
CID Roped In For Bula Chowdhury's Padma Shri Award Theft Case
Last Updated: West Bengal CID is investigating the theft of Bula Chowdhury's Padma Shri and other awards from her Hooghly home. Chowdhury criticized local police for inadequate prevention. The West Bengal Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been assigned to investigate the theft of the Padma Shri award belonging to Bula Chowdhury, an internationally acclaimed former Indian swimmer and Arjuna Award winner. The theft occurred on Friday at Chowdhury's ancestral home in Hind-Motor, Hooghly district, including several other awards, trophies, and medals. Initial investigations suggest that the theft might have been committed by locals who had been closely monitoring the house to find the right moment to strike. According to state police insiders, a couple of individuals have already been detained for questioning. Although Chowdhury, a former CPI-M legislator from 2006 to 2011, currently resides in Kasba, South Kolkata, her awards were displayed at her ancestral home in Hind-Motor. She visited her ancestral residence weekly to check on the upkeep of her awards and trophies. On Friday, it was discovered that her Padma Shri shield was missing from its place. Subsequently, more awards, trophies, and medals were found to be stolen. Chowdhury and her family have asserted that the theft could have been prevented if the local police had shown more diligence in safeguarding the property, given the significant number of awards stored there. 'I earned those medals after a lot of hard work and struggle. Now most of them have been stolen. My question for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is, why could the police not ensure the prevention of that robbery?" Chowdhury said on Friday. Milan Chowdhury, Bula's brother who resides at the Hind-Motor house, mentioned that there had been three prior robbery attempts at the residence. 'Each time, police complaints were registered, and routine investigations were conducted. However, the subsequent robbery attempts did not cease. Even a police picket was briefly set up but was withdrawn after a certain period," he said. (With IANS Inputs) view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
21 deported to Bangladesh, says Assam CM
Guwahati: Security forces in Assam have deported 21 people to Bangladesh who allegedly illegally entered the state's Sribhumi district earlier in the week, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Independence Day 2025 Modi signals new push for tech independence with local chips Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India its own currency "Freedom at midnight? Quite literally!" Sarma posted on 'X' on Friday. He said the process of identification and pushback of illegal migrants would continue. Authorities have, of late, pushed back some 400 people who have tried to enter the state from neighbouring Bangladesh. Of these, around 58 were alone in Sribhumi district. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the state, Debabrata Saikia, has written to home minister Amit Shah, urging that security along the Assam-Bangladesh border should be strengthened. "I am writing to bring to your kind attention the recurring "pushback" operations being undertaken by the Assam Police along the Assam-Bangladesh border since May 2025," he said in his letter, a copy of which ET has reviewed. "The state government has on multiple occasions, acknowledged such operations and deportations of undocumented Bangladeshi nationals, which raises critical questions about the efficacy of our border management framework and the current coordination mechanisms." Live Events He wrote that as per official statements, a new strategy of pushback was announced on May 10 this year. It was followed by operations starting on May 23, in which over 50 individuals were apprehended. The subsequent operations on May 31, June 8, June 27, July 6, and August 3 led to the repatriation of over 300 individuals. He said these operations, despite the deployment of the Border Security Force across the 267.5-km stretch of the Assam-Bangladesh border, suggest that infiltration continues to be a serious challenge.
