A family is mourning the loss of a beloved mom in Georgia. Eboni Anderson was making a delivery for DoorDash when she was fatally struck down. Police are still investigating what happened, but her family believes her killer was the man she may or may not have been in a relationship with. He was with her at the time of her death and has since been arrested on multiple charges. Investigators revealed that the shooting location, an elementary school, was completely random, but that didn’t stop the school from going into lockdown while the case was investigated.
The incident took place on February 10, 2026, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. As the shots rang out, Palmetto Elementary School went into a “hard lockdown” as police responded to a report of gunfire around 11 a.m. They found Anderson’s body outside the school.
That morning, Anderson was in the car with her 17-month-old son and her alleged boyfriend, Christopher Ates, while she made a lunch delivery for DoorDash.
According to her stepfather, Tariq Robinson, Anderson owned a gun and kept it in the car with her while she was making deliveries. He believes that Ates, who she met online, shot and killed her with her own weapon.
Anderson’s family told WSB-TV that after he shot her, Ates drove away in her car with her toddler still inside. “We’re putting all the pieces together,” Robinson said. In addition to her toddler, the 34-year-old mother had 8-year-old twins, although they didn’t attend that school.
“She was always around her kids,” he told WSB-TV. “She would do anything for anybody, so that’s what hurts so much about the situation.”
Ates drove away from the scene and was discovered in Middle Georgia by Warner Robins police, WJCL reported. Once they spotted him, a high-speed chase began. It only ended when the 39-year-old crashed on Highway 96. He was arrested and taken to Houston County jail.
The charges against Ates include reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, and second-degree cruelty to children, according to officials, WJCL reported. He will face additional charges in Fulton County, where police are finalizing murder charges and seeking additional warrants.
According to multiple reports, Eboni Anderson had no connection to Palmetto Elementary School.
“While this is an incredibly difficult circumstance for our community, I want to reassure you that no Palmetto Elementary students or staff were involved, and at no time were individuals inside our building in danger,” Principal Jacqueline Bowens shared in a letter to families obtained by WSB-TV. “While safety remains our highest priority, our core mission is unchanged: educating and supporting our students. We are focused on returning to teaching and learning tomorrow with stability, connection, and care.”
DoorDash issued a statement obtained by People about Anderson’s death, writing, “This is a tragic situation and our thoughts are with the Dasher’s loved ones. Our team is urgently investigating and working with law enforcement to help their investigation in any way possible.”
People shared that Anderson’s family has launched a GoFundMe account to help pay for funeral expenses, and it’s close to reaching its goal. An investigation into her death is ongoing.
