Iran Press/ America: According to the Atlanta Police Department, officers responded to the 600 block of Evans Street to multiple persons shot. When officers got there, they found three victims who had died from their injuries.
One of the victims has been identified as 17-year-old Derrion Johnson, officials said.
“There’s one 17-year-old, one male is in his early 20s and one male is in his late 30s,” said Lt. Andrew Smith.
“At this point and time, we are not looking for anyone that is outstanding. We do not know at this time the motive behind this incident,” Lt. Smith said.
Atlanta News First spoke to victims’ family members at the scene and they confirmed one of the shot men was 20-year-old Jakobi Maddox.
Police said that this was a targeted shooting, where a man approached two individuals and began shooting at them. One of those individuals returned fire at the suspect. The suspect and the two individuals were struck by gunfire.
Smith said surveillance video was helpful in determining what happened.
“We know exactly what happened because we saw,” Lt. Smith said.
Julius Khalid, Owner of YG Urban Cafe, said he witnessed the shooting.
“I saw a senseless murder of three young black brothers in the community and I watched one of them take his last breath,” Khalid said. “I was standing right here. I came out of my shop and saw a young brother struggling for his life right there. See the other young brother struggling for his life right there and I could say is...really? It’s senseless,” he said. “My heart was so overwhelmed with just watching it after last week we just did a stop the violence gun rally right here on this block,” he said.
The impact of the shooting was still being felt hours later by community members processing what they’d witnessed, and by loved ones of the victims who showed up at the scene only to have their worst fears confirmed.
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