Clark Atlanta University baseball player Jatonne Sterling, 20, is shot dead, with a suspect arrested

The community of Clark Atlanta University is mourning the loss of 20-year-old baseball player Jatonne Sterling after he was shot and killed on Tuesday.

Police have arrested 25-year-old Keontay Holliman-Peoples in connection with the shooting, charging him with felony murder and aggravated assault.

According to officers, Sterling and Holliman-Peoples knew each other and got into a dispute.

'We know that there was some correspondence prior to Tuesday and even as early as Tuesday morning,' Atlanta Deputy Police Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said during a news conference on Thursday. 

'This was not a random homicide.'

Clark Atlanta University baseball player Jatonne Sterling was killed on Tuesday at age 20

Students gathered to hold a candlelight vigil for Sterling, with a suspect in police custody

Hampton added that Sterling entered a parked vehicle with Holliman-Peoples and one other unidentified individual, after which there was an escalated dispute leading to shots being fired inside the car.

Authorities responded to the Lyke House Catholic Center just before 2:00pm where they found Sterling and pronounced him dead at the scene.

Sterling initially hailed from Chicago - where he excelled at baseball and earned a scholarship to play for the Panthers in Division II.

In the aftermath of the shooting, students organized a vigil on Clark Atlanta's campus, gathering to remember his life.

The University paid tribute to him, writing on Twitter: 'Our hearts and prayers go out to the family, friends and teammates of our student Jatonne Sterling. 

'Please keep his family and the entire CAU community in your prayers.'

In his spare time, Sterling also pursued a career in music, which he heavily promoted on his Instagram page.