Atlanta man shot while in car, suspect arrested for his murder six months later, cops say

A shooting in November left one person dead and another injured, but Atlanta police say that a suspect has been arrested after a month-long investigation.

On Nov.1, 2020, Fred Blash, 47, was found with a gunshot wound to his chest while in the driver’s seat of his Mercedes around 1 a.m., police said.

Authorities stated Blash died from his injuries.

During their investigation into the shooting, police learned a second man transported himself to a hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg/

In January, investigators released video of a nearby block party they believed was connected to the shooting, authorities said. At the time, investigators believed Blash was struck by gunfire while his car was moving, police said.

After six months of investigating, Richard Stewart was arrested on May 21 and charged with felony murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and aggravated assault, police said.

In a press release, Atlanta Police said, “We would like to commend the Homicide Unit for their diligent work in identifying the person responsible for this act of violence. We can all sleep better tonight knowing another violent suspect is behind bars.”

Police did not detail if Stewart knew the victim or a possible motive for the shooting.