R.I.P. James Banger

Yesterday marked 5 years since one of the best guys I've ever known got taken away. I wanna fill this space with all sorts of platitudes about how i miss him, but i just dont have it in me.

James, you were the best Big Homie a lil dude could have, man.

**edit: found the article :(

Tech student killed in apartment ‘invasion’
By Jennifer Hinkel
News Editor
On January 18, student James Banger was shot in his Atlanta home. The assailant also opened fire on Banger’s dog. Another man in the apartment, either Banger’s roomate or a visitor, was also shot. The second victim survived the shooting. Banger was taken to a hospital; he died shortly thereafter.

Last semester was Banger’s first at Tech, where he studied Aerospace Engineering. He was enrolled in a dual degree program with Morehouse College, as well.

Atlanta Police Department Detective Walker is heading up the homicide investigation.

“It was a home invasion, basically,” said Walker. The attacker entered Banger’s southwest Atlanta apartment at 1037 Harwell Street.

A motive for the crime has not yet been determined, according to Walker. He speculates that intentions to rob the apartment or its inhabitants were likely.

Chief of the Georgia Tech Police Department Jack Vickery, although not involved in the homicide investigation, offered safety tips to students.

“Whether you live off-campus, in a home, or on-campus, you need to know who you are opening your door to and to be careful about who you invite in,” said Vickery. “If someone doesn’t look right, notify the police and have them check it out... I don’t like to be an alarmist, but I like for students to be conscious of their environment. It is better to be safe and cautious as best as you can. Whether or not those things would have made a difference in this instance, I don’t know.”

The Atlanta Police Department has a composite drawing of the suspect on-hand, although no arrests have yet been made.