ATLANTA, GA – Atlanta authorities have issued arrest warrants related to the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old valet, Harrison Olvey, in the city’s Buckhead district over the weekend. Olvey was fatally shot around 1:40 a.m. on Sunday while on duty at a nightclub on Piedmont Road Northeast. He was attempting to prevent a car burglary when he was shot, according to Atlanta police. He succumbed to his injuries shortly after at Grady Memorial Hospital.
Olvey, a recent graduate of Kennesaw State University, had been working as a valet in the area for over four years, according to his LinkedIn profile. A GoFundMe page set up to help Olvey’s family with funeral expenses stated that he was working as a valet to “make ends meet as he interviewed for full-time positions.” The page also noted, “Harrison always did the right thing and would step in whenever needed. Unfortunately, this act of bravery caused the end of his life.”
While the Atlanta police have not publicly disclosed the suspect’s name, they announced on Wednesday that the suspect has been identified and arrest warrants have been issued. On Sunday morning, the Atlanta Police Department (APD) shared images on social media of an “armed and dangerous” person of interest in Olvey’s death, who may be driving a newer Kia K5 with dark-tinted windows. It remains unclear if the person for whom the department has issued arrest warrants is the same individual seen in the photos.
Autumn Ernst, Olvey’s mother, expressed her grief and desire for justice in an interview with FOX 5 Atlanta on Wednesday. She said his death “just doesn’t seem real” and she wants nothing more than an arrest to be made soon. In an emotional interview, she questioned why the suspect(s) couldn’t have “just flash[ed] a gun” at Olvey when he approached the break-in instead of killing him.
Olvey’s sister, Addison, also shared her grief, describing her brother as her “best friend” and “the best sibling, older brother anybody can ask for.” As of Thursday morning, the GoFundMe set up for Olvey’s family was about $3,000 short of its $50,000 goal. The fundraiser’s description reads, “Those who were fortunate enough to know Harrison can attest to his loving nature and constant positive attitude. Harrison was kind, smart, funny, caring, and the best big brother anyone could ask for.”