ATLANTA — More than 100 people showed up Saturday night to honor a man who was working to make his community a better place for the youth.
Atlanta Police Department said 36-year-old Terrence Denson was shot and killed on Sept. 8 outside the 656 Sports Bar and Grille on Pryor Street southwest.
Saturday night's vigil was about one mile away at Rawson-Washington Park. Family, friends and community members came out to honor and remember Denson.
"He wanted to stop the violence and increase the peace," Iresha Ridley, Denson's cousin, said.
Ridley told 11Alive she will make sure her cousin's mission continues. He was about to launch his non-profit "Better Living Youth Corporation." Ridley said the goal of this non-profit is to equip the neighborhood with the tools they need, educate them on how to deal with trauma and execute their mission by showing them anyone can change.
Ridley said they need people to help if the community is going to see a real change.
"If we can get more heavy hitters what I mean by heavy hitters I mean like people who can pull a crowd together to get out here and speak the youth, because the youth is our future," Ridley explained. "We'll see a lot of the numbers go down with gun violence."
Pastor Radonus Bryan with New International Kingdom Ministries spoke at Denson's vigil.
"Mr. Denson lost his life to senseless gun violence so I’m here to spread the word of Love, Unity and Peace," Bryan said. "We’ve got to come together. We’ve got to learn to be lovers and not haters."
Denson's aunt, Pauline Lyon, echoed Pastor Bryan's message adding all of the violence needs to stop.
"It all needs to stop," she said. "It doesn't make sense. One killing leads to another. It's not God's way. We need peace."
Denson's homicide is still unsolved. A second person who was shot during the shooting survived. Anyone with information on the shooting death of Terrence Denson is urged to call Crime Stoppers of greater Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477).