By: Sunday Ameh
A Nigerian-American man, identified as Olaolukitan Abel, has died in custody days after he was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a United States Department of Homeland Security official in Decatur, Georgia.
Authorities said Abel, 26, was found unresponsive in his jail cell on April 21. Emergency responders were said to have attempted to revive him, but he was pronounced dead shortly after.
Officials disclosed that the cause of his death had yet to be determined, adding that there was no immediate indication of foul play.
Abel was arrested following investigations into the killing of Lauren Bullis, a Department of Homeland Security official who was reportedly shot dead in a residential area of Decatur in the early hours of April 13.
According to Theodore Hertzberg, the US Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, investigators recovered a loaded 9mm pistol and spent shell casings from the crime scene.
Authorities said further investigations traced the firearm to Damon Marquis Yarns, who allegedly admitted purchasing the weapon on behalf of Abel.
Yarns, who was reportedly living in homeless shelters, was accused of falsely claiming he was the actual buyer of the firearm before handing it over to Abel.
Investigators also revealed that Abel was later stopped by Georgia State Patrol officers in Troup County on April 13, where officers allegedly found ammunition in his vehicle matching those recovered from the crime scene.
He was subsequently charged with murder, aggravated assault, and unlawful possession of a firearm before being remanded at the DeKalb County Jail pending trial.
Prosecutors further disclosed that Abel had a previous criminal record, including a felony conviction in California for assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon, as well as other misdemeanour offences in Georgia.
Meanwhile, Yarns has appeared before a federal court and remains in custody as authorities continue investigations into the case.
In a related development, reports also indicated that another Nigerian, identified as Ademola Oke, was recently found dead at his workplace in the United Kingdom under unclear circumstances.
US authorities said an internal review would be conducted to determine the circumstances surrounding Abel’s death while investigations into the homicide case continue.
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