Decatur, GA — Decatur Police on Aug. 13 at 5 a.m. responded to a report about a person injured in the 600 block of East Lake Drive.

“An adult male with an unexplained head injury was located and transported to an area hospital in critical condition,” Sgt. John Bender said.

When officers responded, they were unsure about whether they were dealing with an assault or an accident. Now, police may have a homicide on their hands.

The man, identified as 46-year-old Andrew Tanner, passed away on Aug. 16. Police still aren’t sure what caused his injuries.

“From the moment we responded to the person injured call, our department has investigated this incident in a manner that would protect and preserve anything of evidentiary value in the event the injury is determined to stem from a criminal act,” Bender said.  “Our investigators are continuing to actively work this case and are now doing so with the assistance of the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office. Updated information will be provided to the community when available.”

Capt. Jennifer Ross made a direct appeal to residents of Decatur’s Oakhurst neighborhood for help obtaining surveillance footage that might provide clues about what happened.

“Members of the Decatur Police Department Criminal Investigations Division are investigating the circumstances surrounding Andrew Tanner, nickname ‘Manute,’ being found critically injured by an unknown cause in the 600 block of East Lake Drive the morning of Friday, August 13, 2021,” Ross said. “Mr. Tanner regularly frequented the area of West Hill Street and Oakview Road, the 600-700 block of East Lake Drive, the 300 block of Mead Road and the area of Leyden Street/Feld Avenue and Oakhurst Park. We are asking residents in these areas with security camera systems to please review your video footage for ANY person(s) passing in the areas mentioned between August 12, 2021, at 9 p.m. and August 13, 2021, at 5 a.m. If you have ANY video of person(s) passing in the areas mentioned during this time frame, please archive the video and contact Inv. Lindsey at [email protected] or 678/553-6628. Thank you.”

Attempts to reach Tanner’s family for comment have been unsuccessful.

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