ATLANTA -
Atlanta police say they have made an arrest in the shooting death of a woman at a northwest Atlanta lounge.
According to authorities, 23-year-old Otis Ricks was arrested 24 hours after the alleged murder of 53-year-old Vanessa Elaine Thrasher at O.T.'s Lounge and Soul Food Grill on New Jersey Avenue and Joseph E. Boone Boulevard. Family members say she had been shot seven times.
Police say Ricks was arrested at the Hotel Magnolia located at 632 Old Dixie Highway. They say more arrests may be coming.
According to Atlanta police, three men walked into the business early Thursday morning, and at some point an altercation started. The suspects walked out a short time later.
They say at least two of the suspects walked by the responding officer as he was pursuing a man seen running away from the lounge. It was later determined that the man had nothing to do with the crime.
Although Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard initially believed Thrasher may have been targeted, he now said that it appears the crime is a coincidence.
Thrasher had been scheduled to testify on Monday in 2011 shooting that occurred in her bar's parking lot. Her security bouncer was caught in the crossfire as two men argued over a pool game.
Atlanta police had been assigned to perform extra surveillance of the club to protect Thrasher. Howard said he had offered to put Thrasher in a safe location, but she declined.
Howard's office now says he thinks the shooting was a robbery and had no connection to the impending testimony.
Sources tell FOX 5 that Thrasher tried to fight off the gunmen even after she'd already been shot several times. She reportedly pulled out her weapon and shot one of three suspects before they left the lounge. Our sources believe that angered the gunmen and they turned around and shot her again -- a total of seven times -- including once the head.
The gunman who is injured and another man are still being sought by police.
Ricks is due in court on Saturday.
