In the pre-dawn hours of July 17, 2021, gunshots were reported in a Gainesville, Georgia neighborhood. Hall County deputies found 21-year-old Qualyn Deshunte Tanner dead behind a residence on Wade Drive off East Ridge Road. Tanner, known as Quay, was an African American man who sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene; his body was sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for autopsy.

Friends and family remembered Tanner for his cheerful disposition, his love of cooking and hopes of becoming a chef, and his willingness to help others. Investigators quickly identified 32-year-old Daniel Guerrero of Gainesville as the alleged shooter; Guerrero was located walking along Interstate 985 a few hours later and taken into custody without incident. An investigator later testified Guerrero said Tanner had been asking him to kill him for weeks. A grand jury returned an indictment on September 15, 2021, and the Hall County Sheriff’s Office continued its investigation.

If anyone knew Qualyn Tanner, saw activity around Wade Drive that morning, or has information about what led to this shooting, please come forward.