LinkedIn/Atlanta police Raissa Kegne
Raissa Kengne is an Atlanta IT professional who is accused of shooting three people in Midtown Atlanta, on August 22, 2022, after a lengthy workplace dispute and lawsuit.
“The suspect was arrested and identified as Raissa Kengne (6/1988),” Atlanta police wrote in a news release. Two of the victims died.
“She was charged with two counts of Murder – Felony (16-5-1), four counts of Aggravated Assault (16-5-21), Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony (16-11-106), and False Imprisonment (16-5-41). Ms. Kengne is currently waiting for transport to Fulton County Jail.”
In a news conference, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens praised police for their “quick action” in apprehending the suspect.
Police said in the news conference that they believed the victims were targeted; shortly before the shooting, Kengne posted a rant on her LinkedIn page that named one of the deceased victims. Kengne appeared to be caught up in a dispute with the board management at the condominium complex where she lives; two of the three victims were named in a recent federal lawsuit she filed, positioning herself as a “whistleblower.” They were part of the condo complex’s management team.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Victims Were Shot at Different Locations on Peachtree Street, Police Said
FacebookWesley Freeman
On August 22, 2022, at around 1:45 p.m., Atlanta police wrote, “officers responded to a person shot call at 1280 W. Peachtree Street. Upon arrival, officers located two individuals who appeared to have been shot.”
Police said in the news conference that officers received 911 calls of shots fired.
They noted: “One of the victims has died and the second was taken to the hospital for treatment. While at 1280 W. Peachtree Street, officers received another call of a person shot at 1100 Peachtree Street. Upon arrival there, officers located one individual who appeared to have been shot. The individual was taken to the hospital for treatment and has since died.”
The second shooting came at 2 p.m., police said, and the incident was treated as an active shooter call.
You can read the police incident report here. It says the victims were shot multiple times in the torso.
Mayor Dickens said the public helped the police apprehend Kengne.
Kengne is a graduate of Georgia State University’s College of Business, where she obtained a master’s degree in information systems audit and control, according to her LinkedIn page.
She received a bachelor’s degree from the same university in accounting and finance, where she was treasurer of Delta Epsilon Iota.
2. Kengne, Who Was Embroiled in a Voluminous Lawsuit Against Condo Management, Headed to the Airport
PACER
According to the Atlanta police press release,
Initial information indicated a single suspect, a female, was responsible for each of these incidents. Multiple officers responded to the Midtown area and began searching for the female suspect. Initially, it was unclear whether the female was still in the midtown area or whether she had left. Officers began investigating all leads regarding potential locations of the suspect. During the investigation, we received information the suspect was heading to the airport. Law enforcement personnel at the airport were alerted and were able to apprehend her before she was able to enter any of the airport’s controlled areas.
Police summarized the incident this way:
A total of three people have been shot. Two of the victims have died. One victim remains in the hospital being treated (condition unknown at this time). The last shot appears to have been fired around 2:15 PM.
“The security of the airport was never compromised at this time,” the mayor said in the news conference. According to CBS46, she was arrested “near the south baggage claim.”
CBS46 reported that Kengne was embroiled in “a lawsuit that she filed against Georgia Power in June. The lawsuit says that the plaintiff (Kenge) is also suing several 1280 West management team members and the 1280 West board members in Fulton County Superior Court for withholding the plaintiff’s mail, including mail from Georgia Power.”
Two of the victims are listed in a lengthy lawsuit that she filed in federal court. You can read some of the court documents here.
The lawsuit says, “Plaintiff alleges in her Complaint that she was a ‘whistleblower’ that was allegedly subjected to ‘retaliation,’ including threats, burglary, computer hacking, phone spoofing and other attacks, on account of her alleged disclosures by all named Defendants.”
In counter filings, people accused in the lawsuit denied her claims. One man, who was not a victim in the shootings, wrote in a counter filing that he “admits a letter addressed to Plaintiff was mistakenly delivered to him and he in turn delivered same to Plaintiff. Defendant…lacks knowledge or information as to the contents of the letter. Defendant Mungal denies any intimidation… Defendant… admits offering to help Plaintiff. Defendant…denies telling Plaintiff he worked at BDO, that he spied on Plaintiff, and that he broke into Plaintiff’s unit. Defendant…lacks knowledge or information sufficient to admit or deny Plaintiff’s employment relationship with BDO.”
The court filings are voluminous and many hundreds of pages.
3. The Deceased Victims Were Named as Wesley Freeman & Michael Shinners
FacebookMichael Shinners
According to CBS46, the victims who died were Wesley Freeman, 41, and Michael Shinners, 60. Both were named in the lawsuit.
Shinners’ Facebook page gives this information about him:
On Site Community Association Manager at Homeowner Management Services Inc.
Studied at University of Dayton
Went to De La Salle Institute – Institute Campus
Lives in Alpharetta, Georgia
From Chicago, Illinois
A woman who knew him wrote on Facebook, “I met Michael in 2005, when he was a community manager at an HOA Company. Years later, I had the pleasure of working with him at the same company. Michael had a quick wit that would keep us laughing even in negative situations or on the golf course. Michael had a smile that would light up the room. Praying for Michael’s family and for justice for this senseless shooting. He will be greatly missed by all.”
“Micheal Shinners was an above and beyond building manager. He was loved by our community. The events today are shocking and he can never be replaced. We are deeply saddened,” said Brian Hall, a resident at the condo complex that was the site of the first shooting, to CBS46.
Freeman wrote on his Facebook page:
IS Assurance Manager at BDO Seidman
Studied Information Science/Studies at Georgia Southern University
Went to North Gwinnett High School
Lives in Atlanta, Georgia
From Suwanee, Georgia
Mike Horne is the injured victim.
“He was out every day, like the governor of the building,” resident Christian Bell said about Shinners to 13WMAZ. “He was a friendly guy. He would send out a weekly email. He would just make sure to be like a friendly guy when you see him. Really good guy from what I know. It’s unfortunate he had to pass away today.”
4. Kengne Ranted About Condo Management & Freeman on LinkedIn Before the Shooting
Atlanta PoliceRaissa Kengne
On LinkedIn, Kengne wrote a negative post about Freeman, one of the victims, shortly before the shooting. She wrote: “Retaliation and the Atlanta Police Department Atlanta Police Department.”
The rambling post alleges that she was retaliated by a former employer “because I reported a fraud perpetrated by Wesley Freeman.” There is no verification that what she wrote was true.
Kengne made accusations against management in the condominium where she lives.
She accused people of having gained “unauthorized access to my home, break into my safe and delete evidence that I had; thereby breaking so many laws that it is hard to believe. APD has been reluctant in providing me with information related to my case. I will post a series of videos to show the policy’s response to the crimes committed against me.”
She added: “I will keep you updated on the status of my case because it is relevant to anyone who has spent many years combating fraud in their professional lives.”
People accused have denied her claims.
5. Kengne Held Many Positions as an IT Auditor & Manager
Atlanta policeRaissa Kengne
On LinkedIn, Kengne wrote that she was CEO and president of the Kengne Corp. for four months. Before that she was an IT audit manager for BDO USA, LLP.
She was a senior IT associate for Grant Thornton LLP, a financial analyst for Audientis, and a graduate assistant at Georgia State University. She also worked as an audit intern for the city of Dunwoody, Georgia.
On LinkedIn, Kengne wrote,
Raissa Kengne has over ten years of combined experience in Information Technology (IT) auditing, financial analysis, mergers and acquisitions, IT due diligence, restructuring, financing, real estate transactions, estate tax planning for high net worth individuals, private companies and public companies across several industries including energy, banking, food and beverages, healthcare (urgent care clinics), mining, dealerships, beauty salons, and retail. Her IT audit experience includes, but is not limited to, executing pre- and post-implementation audits, third-party access reviews, termination audit, application security audits, disaster recovery readiness assessment, and database upgrade assessment.
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