In DeKalb County, Georgia, a mother is living every parent’s worst nightmare. Juanique Carrington is heartbroken after her son, Antonio Adler, was shot and killed by a stranger in what she describes as a senseless act of violence.
The tragedy happened on November 24 in the parking lot of the Shops at Water’s Edge on Rockbridge Road. Antonio had just finished getting a haircut at a barbershop there. It was around 3 p.m. when his life was cut short in the most shocking way.
Juanique, overwhelmed with grief, said, “I am feeling devastated. My heart is broken.” Her only son, a 28-year-old with big dreams and a bright future, was taken from her in an instant.
Witnesses told Juanique what led to the shooting. According to them, Antonio had a brief, completely unnecessary encounter with a stranger. The man reportedly asked Antonio, “What are you looking at?” Antonio replied calmly, “I’m not looking at you, bro.” That should have been the end of it. But it wasn’t.
The stranger walked away but didn’t leave. Instead, he waited nearby. Moments later, as Antonio drove out of the parking lot in his green car, gunshots rang out. A video shared with Juanique shows the heartbreaking moment — the sound of the shots, her son’s car driving away, and someone running from the scene.
“It’s just unbelievable,” Juanique said. “It’s stupid, it’s senseless. It’s ridiculous. It just doesn’t make any sense.”
Antonio had just graduated from HVAC school and was working for Pepsi. He had plans to buy his first home and was building a promising life. “He was a very loving son. Very kind, very, very respectful. Never talks back,” Juanique shared, her voice heavy with emotion. “My heart is ripped into many pieces.”
Right now, no arrests have been made. But Juanique remains hopeful. She says several people in the area have told her they know who the shooter is. She’s counting on justice for her son.
The senseless loss of Antonio Adler has left a community in shock and a mother shattered, holding onto memories of a young man who had so much more life to live.
