Investigators say a pregnant teen and a 21-year-old man were shot near the Cascade Road interchange during early evening traffic.
ATLANTA — Atlanta police are investigating after gunfire near the Interstate 285 southbound ramp at Cascade Road wounded an 18-year-old pregnant woman and a 21-year-old man on Saturday around 5:20 p.m., and the woman’s unborn child was later pronounced dead by medical staff.
The shooting unfolded as weekend drivers merged onto the Perimeter from Cascade Road in southwest Atlanta. Officers arrived to find both victims alert and breathing and called for rapid transport. Detectives later learned at the hospital that the woman was pregnant and that the fetus had been struck by gunfire and did not survive. Police have not identified the victims, announced a suspect, or shared a motive. The Homicide Unit took over the case Sunday while traffic investigators reviewed how the incident affected the interchange and ramps during the evening rush.
Dispatchers received multiple 911 calls about shots near the southbound ramp. Responding units closed the approach to the ramp, set crime scene tape, and documented the scene before clearing vehicles. Investigators examined shell casings and damage to at least one car positioned along the shoulder. An Atlanta police spokesperson said detectives are working to determine whether the gunfire started between vehicles moving on the Perimeter or began before the victims reached the ramp. “The priority is identifying who fired and why,” the spokesperson said. Drivers in the area reported a backup that stretched beyond the Cascade exit as crews finished the on-scene investigation.
By late Sunday, officials said the mother remained hospitalized and the man also continued receiving treatment. Police did not release their conditions. Investigators said the victims were conscious and able to speak with first responders on the ramp. Detectives have not stated how many shots were fired, whether a single shooter is suspected, or if they recovered video that shows the initial exchange. No weapons were publicly tied to the victims as of Monday, and officers did not disclose a description of any suspect vehicle. Authorities said they are gathering traffic camera footage and canvassing nearby businesses for surveillance video to trace vehicles that may have left the interchange immediately after the shooting.
The Cascade Road interchange is a busy access point for neighborhoods in southwest Atlanta. Similar highway shootings in recent years have forced intermittent closures across metro interstates, complicating evening commutes and stretching investigative resources. Police have said those cases often hinge on witness statements and frame-by-frame analysis of scattered cameras along ramps and frontage roads. Investigators emphasized that identifying the exact origin of the shots is crucial for determining jurisdictional steps and potential charges. Past cases that started as moving confrontations on interstates have led to aggravated assault filings and, when a death resulted, homicide counts associated with the fatality.
Next steps in the investigation include detailed interviews with the victims when their conditions allow, ballistic testing of recovered casings, and a review of license plate data captured near the interchange. Detectives also plan to compare projectile markings to state databases in search of prior matches. Police said they will release additional information once they confirm a sequence of events, such as whether the victims were targeted or struck by shots meant for someone else. No briefing was scheduled as of Monday morning, and officials said any update would follow after the holiday period when more evidence reviews are complete.
On Sunday night, flashes from patrol car light bars still reflected off the ramp’s guardrail. Commuters who came through later described a lingering slowdown and tire debris near the shoulder. “You could see glass across part of the lane and a car with a rear window blown out,” said Marcus Green, who exited at Cascade Road after 6 p.m. A nearby resident said she heard a burst of pops shortly before sirens converged. People in the area expressed sympathy for the family and frustration about gunfire near crowded roads during a weekend evening.
As of Monday, authorities had not identified a suspect or released an updated condition for the wounded adults. Detectives expect to circulate any vehicle description once confirmed and to outline preliminary findings after interviews and lab results are in hand.
Author note: Last updated December 22, 2025.