ATLANTA — Atlanta city leaders and police voiced concerns after a series of deadly shootings that happened over the Easter holiday weekend and the start of spring break.
Authorities say the violence includes multiple separate incidents across the city, with victims ranging in age from 3 to 18. Many of the shootings involve teenagers and young children.
The youngest victim, identified by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office as 3-year-old Armani Lyons, was shot and killed at a home on Washington Street. Homicide investigators are working to determine what led to the shooting.
In another case, a shooting at Piedmont Park left 16-year-old Tianah Robinson dead and a 15-year-old injured. Atlanta Police Lt. Christopher Butler said investigators believe there was a gathering in the park before gunfire broke out.
“It appears there was a gathering inside the park, and then during that gathering, gunfire erupted,” Butler said. “We’ve heard things about a gathering, as far as an age group, we’re still trying to determine what exactly that was.”
Butler also noted the incident was not connected to an earlier 404 Day event.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens expressed concern over gun violence and said crime stoppers is offering a $15,000 reward for anyone with information about the suspects involved in the shootings.
“Our concern is for the whole city, and for the elimination of the root causes of crime for the entire city of Atlanta,” Dickens said. “There are too many guns on our streets and in the hands of too many people who should not have them in too many places that they should not be.”
According to Atlanta Police Major Peter Malecki, “we do not believe these two victims were involved in any fight or dispute. They were just at the park enjoying the day. We do not believe they were the intended victims.”
Malecki says these girls were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Police said they are still searching for a suspect in that case.
Additional shootings over the weekend left several more teens injured.
An 18-year-old was hurt in a shooting on Northside Drive. In the Virginia-Highland neighborhood, a 15-year-old was injured during what police described as an escalating domestic dispute.
Late Easter Sunday night, four teenagers were shot along the 900 block of Sparks Street in southwest Atlanta. One of the victims is listed in critical condition.
Police have not identified a motive in any of the cases and have not announced any arrests.
“There were shootings at Piedmont Park, there was one on the back alley in the Edgewood area, one on Campbellton Road that affected four young people attending a birthday celebration,” Dickens said. “There were others, including a lot of incidences that were interpersonal and domestic in nature.”
Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. said he is deeply troubled by the violence.
“All of our hearts go out to these families. We mourn with you, we pray for you, and we hope that you will find solace and that these deaths will hopefully prompt us to do better as a city, as a county, as a state, and as a nation,” Arrington Jr. said.
Arrington Jr. also called for more investment in youth to help prevent future violence.
“We’re very saddened to hear about the deaths. We as Fulton County must work with the city of Atlanta and all of our cities to help do what we can to help stop this violence. But frankly, that means investing more in our youth on the front end, than investing more on the criminal justice system on the back end,” Arrington Jr. said.
Investigators are reviewing security footage from the area and at this time they believe four people may have fired weapons in the park on Saturday night.
WSB Radio’s Jennifer Perry contributed to this story.
