ATLANTA, Ga. — On Friday night, an Atlanta community gathered to call for peace after two young people were shot and killed near Atlantic Station.

Six teenagers were shot after a fight near Atlantic Station on Saturday, killing 12-year-old Zyion Charles at the scene and mortally wounding 15-year-old Cameron Jackson, who died at the hospital days later.

Police believe the shooters were involved in a gang and that Jackson was the target. Atlanta police said the suspects are teenagers and are still on the loose.

On Friday, organizer Rev. Darryl Winston said the Black community is in a “state of emergency.”

“We’ve reached critical mass in this city due to the blood of our children running down the streets like water from the stream,” Winston said to the crowd.

Youth mentor El Buford Jr. said he knows what it’s like to be an at-risk teen.

“I came through that life. I was reckless. I didn’t understand. I was angry,” Buford said. “I always tell people we don’t have a gang problem, we have a lack of communication problem.”

Buford said developing a better relationship with his father and other men in his life helped him turn his life around.

“I had accountability,” Buford said. “Someone who know what I was doing at all times.”

Buford said that while the peace walk will help the community heal, the next step is providing more young people with better structure.

“At 17, 15, whatever their age, we have to put some men in front of them, not those who call themselves men, but men who can rationalize as men and let them get something different than their own understanding,” Buford said.

Faith leaders said that after the walk, they will begin a series of meetings and discussions to better help at-risk young people in metro Atlanta.

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