Federal investigators are offering up to $250,000 for information after a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier was shot and killed while delivering mail in a DeKalb County neighborhood, a case that authorities say has drawn heavy investigative resources and shaken residents along the route.

Dequavious Graves, 31, was killed Feb. 12 while working an evening route on Oxford Drive, and investigators have released few details about who fired the shots or why. The reward, announced by postal inspectors, is intended to generate tips that lead to an arrest and conviction as local police and federal agents review video, canvass for witnesses and work to determine whether the shooting was random or targeted.

Authorities said Graves was delivering mail in the 2700 block of Oxford Drive near Flat Shoals Road when he was shot shortly before 7 p.m. on Thu., Feb. 12. Neighbors told reporters they saw his USPS truck moving down the street when gunfire erupted, and a nearby home’s surveillance system captured the sound of shots. Video described by local stations showed the mail truck continuing forward without a driver’s control, slowly drifting off the roadway and into a yard before coming to rest. The scene unfolded on a street residents described as a quiet neighborhood stretch, where many people recognize daily routines and the mail carrier is a familiar face.

One neighbor, Elizabeth Nace, ran outside after noticing something wrong with the truck, accounts later reported. In footage described by stations, Nace can be heard calling for help and saying something was wrong with the mailman. She later said she initially thought Graves might have suffered a medical emergency because he appeared to be breathing but could not speak. Emergency responders took Graves for medical treatment, but his mother, Shannon Graves, said she was called to Grady Memorial Hospital and told her son had died. “Once I got there and they told me my son had passed, I just lost it,” she said in an interview carried by local coverage. The DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office later said Graves died from his injuries.

Investigators have not publicly described a suspect or provided a motive, and they have not said whether Graves was approached while inside his mail truck or while outside the vehicle. Authorities also have not said whether the attack was linked to robberies, mail theft or other crimes in the area. In early homicide investigations, law enforcement often withholds specific details to protect witness statements and preserve evidence, and officials have repeatedly said the inquiry remains active. What police have emphasized is the scope: DeKalb County police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are working together, and they have asked residents to review doorbell cameras and other security systems for anything that could show people or vehicles near Oxford Drive around the time of the shooting.

The public push for information has included flyers and repeated requests for video and tips. Postal inspectors said the reward is for information leading to an arrest and conviction, and the offer has been described as “up to” $250,000. Officials have also warned that whoever is responsible should be considered armed and dangerous. Investigators have directed tipsters to contact the Postal Inspection Service and have said they are reviewing evidence submitted by the public as well as video gathered by officers. Authorities have not said what physical evidence has been recovered, such as shell casings, a weapon or forensic traces, and they have not described how the shooter fled or whether more than one person may have been involved.

For Graves’ family, the days after the shooting have been marked by grief and frustration over unanswered questions. Shannon Graves said her son was her firstborn and a person who could light up a room, and she described the news as something she struggled to accept. In interviews, she described him as someone who took pride in his job and was known for making people laugh. She said people on his route looked out for him, offering water when it was hot and snacks during the workday, and she said the kindness from neighbors made the loss even harder to process because it showed how many people cared about him. Co-workers visited the family after the shooting to offer condolences, she said, and she described being surprised by the number of people who came to show support.

Relatives said Graves had worked for the Postal Service for about three years and had been on the same route since he started. Family members also described him as creative and closely tied to music, spending years producing and performing with relatives. His cousin, Nosakhere Andrews, said Graves poured time and energy into helping him grow as a musician and treated him like a brother. “Anything I needed him to do for me, he would do it,” Andrews said in an interview. To the family, the loss has been compounded by the fact that Graves was killed while doing routine work on a route he knew well, on a street where residents said violence felt out of place.

The Postal Service said it was “deeply saddened” by Graves’ death and offered support to employees who worked with him. In a statement carried by local reporting, USPS said its thoughts were with Graves’ family, friends and colleagues. The agency said counseling services were being provided to employees at the Wesley Chapel Post Office, where Graves reported for work. Postal workers often spend long shifts alone in public spaces, moving from curbside boxes to apartment clusters and business stops, and the killing has renewed attention on the risks faced by letter carriers who are visible, predictable and frequently unarmed while on duty.

Authorities say the investigation took a more visible turn on Tue., Feb. 17, when federal agents returned to the neighborhood and surrounded a home on Oxford Drive. A news helicopter filmed agents outside the residence, and television coverage described flashbangs being used during the operation. Postal inspectors confirmed they were at a home on Oxford Drive as part of their work on the case. That same day, officials said a person of interest in the killing was in custody, though they did not immediately release the person’s name. Authorities said the person of interest was arrested in Atlanta on an outstanding warrant tied to a separate murder case, and investigators stressed that the inquiry into Graves’ death remained active and that details were being limited to protect the integrity of the investigation.

Even with a person of interest in custody, investigators have not said whether they believe the shooting involved more than one person or whether it could be part of a broader pattern of violence. Postal inspectors have described the case as a homicide of a federal employee, a designation that can bring additional investigative attention and coordination. Postal inspectors often work with local police on crimes involving carriers and routes, including attacks, mail theft and robberies that intersect with postal delivery schedules. Officials have not said whether federal charges are being considered, and they have not outlined what evidence led them to the person of interest or what steps remain before any charge is filed in Graves’ death.

On Oxford Drive and nearby streets, residents have described a lingering sense of shock. Several people told reporters that the sound of gunfire was startling, but it was the sight of the mail truck rolling on its own and stopping in a yard that made the danger feel immediate. For some neighbors, the killing has also been a reminder that letter carriers are part of the rhythm of a neighborhood, often greeted by the same households day after day. In interviews, family members have said they keep replaying the idea that a routine workday ended with a fatal shooting in a place that seemed ordinary and safe.