The 55-year-old mother and grandmother was killed outside Gus Thornhill Funeral Home in East Point. Months later, her family is still waiting for justice.
EAST POINT, GEORGIA — A trip to a funeral home to mourn one family member ended with another devastating loss when 55-year-old Ina Chambers was fatally shot outside Gus Thornhill Funeral Home in East Point, Georgia.
The shooting happened on January 9, 2026, as several families were gathering at the funeral home for separate viewings. Early reporting from police said Chambers had brought her daughter to the funeral home for a family viewing and was near the entrance when gunfire erupted. A second woman suffered minor injuries.
Later accounts from Chambers’ family provided additional details about why she was there. Her relatives told FOX 5 Atlanta that she had brought her grandchildren to a viewing for another family member.
What should have been a place for grieving families suddenly became the scene of a homicide investigation.
Police Say Chambers Was Not the Intended Target
Investigators said a vehicle carrying several people entered the area and gunfire was directed toward the property. Chambers was struck and died at the scene.
By April, East Point Police Chief Shawn Buchanan said investigators had identified four people they believed were responsible. Police also said Chambers was not the intended target and that investigators believed the person who was being targeted could provide a crucial piece of evidence needed to move the case forward.
Authorities said they had already interviewed 31 witnesses and obtained dozens of search warrants and court orders as part of the investigation.
Additional details emerged months later.
In July, police walked FOX 5 Atlanta through the scene and said Chambers had been standing near a fountain when the suspects’ vehicle entered through a back gate and stopped nearby. Investigators said Chambers attempted to shield her grandchildren when the shooting began.
Her Family Remembers Much More Than the Circumstances of Her Death
For Chambers’ relatives, the story is not simply about how she died.
Her brother, Efrem Jenkins, described his sister as vibrant, deeply religious and someone who was constantly helping other people. He also described her as an important presence who brought people together.
Chambers’ husband, Phil Chambers, has continued calling for those responsible to be brought to justice. In April, he told WSB-TV that seeing arrests would bring the family a measure of peace because his wife remained deeply missed.
Friends also described Chambers as deeply connected to the southeast Atlanta community, with ties to several area schools.
The location of her death made the violence especially difficult for community members to process.
Four different families were reportedly holding viewings at the funeral home around the time of the shooting. East Point Police Chief Shawn Buchanan publicly condemned the attack and pledged that investigators would continue pursuing those responsible.
The Search for Answers Continues
The investigation has stretched for months.
Police initially appealed for witnesses and offered a reward for information leading to an arrest. By April, the reported reward had increased to $10,000 for information helping lead authorities to an arrest and conviction.
In July, investigators again appealed directly to the public, emphasizing that the case had not been forgotten and asking anyone with information to come forward. At that point, authorities had not publicly disclosed a motive or detailed descriptions of the people responsible.
And the case remained unresolved in a more recent FOX 5 Atlanta report. Police Chief Buchanan said investigators were still working the case and expressed confidence that it could reach a conclusion in the near future, but authorities had not publicly named suspects or announced arrests in that report.
For Ina Chambers’ family, however, the months of investigation do not change the person at the center of the story.
Ina Chambers was 55 years old — a wife, mother and grandmother whose family and community are still waiting for answers about the violence that took her life.
Sources
Reporting for this article is based on information from East Point Police and local reporting by FOX 5 Atlanta and WSB-TV Channel 2 Atlanta.
