Coroner identifies man killed at body shop on southern fringe of downtown Macon

A 45-year-old man was shot to death Monday night at a body shop roughly five blocks south of the Bibb County jail on the southern fringes of downtown Macon, the authorities said.

The shooting happened about 6:20 p.m. at 572 Concord St. in a neighborhood that lies just west of the Houston Avenue split at Broadway.

Bibb Coroner Leon Jones said the victim, Michael Whitaker Jr., died after being taken to a city hospital.

“Investigators are currently collecting evidence and speaking with possible witnesses to determine the events that led to the shooting,” a sheriff’s statement said.

The slaying is the city’s sixth homicide of the year, Jones said.

This story was originally published February 10, 2020 at 8:47 PM.

Joe Kovac Jr.

The Telegraph

Joe Kovac Jr. writes about local news and features for The Telegraph, with an eye for human-interest stories. Joe is a Warner Robins native and graduate of Warner Robins High. He joined the Telegraph in 1991 after graduating from the University of Georgia. As a Pulliam Fellowship recipient in 1991, Joe worked for the Indianapolis News. His stories have appeared in the Washington Post, the Seattle Times and Atlanta Magazine. He has been a Livingston Award finalist and won numerous Georgia Press Association and Georgia Associated Press awards.