ATLANTA — Atlanta’s Interim Police Chief confirmed Tuesday that investigators are looking for at least two possible shooters who opened fire at Rosa L. Burney Park Sunday– gunfire that killed two people and wounded four more, including a six-year-old.
Police have already released security cam photos of one “person of interest” who was at the park that afternoon, and the photos show he is carrying what is possibly a handgun.
Interim Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said there is no description yet of a second person.
“There’s two individuals at minimum that we’re looking for, right now, we’ve released a photograph of one,” Chief Schierbaum told 11Alive. “But it appears there was a fight, two people that were upset with each other– that moment of violence that led to violence because someone had a gun. In fact, not just one person had a gun, two people had a gun. People dead. Individuals injured. Because of two people that just cannot control their anger.”
Chief Schierbaum was at the park and surrounding neighborhoods of Mechanicsville, south of downtown Atlanta, Tuesday evening supporting residents who were rallying against violent crime.
They chanted with each other, “Stop Shooting! Start Living”– a small group because of the early evening rainstorm but they spoke of their big mission: not just to react to violent crime, but to prevent violent crime.
Nia James said she is ready to work with police and with the programs of the organization Cure Violence, refusing, she said, to surrender to fear.
“Cure Violence is offering services like mental health services, conflict resolution, getting jobs,” James said. “Because we know there’s different things that contribute to crime. It’s not just because people are angry. It’s poverty, it’s lack of services, lack of resources. We don’t want one incident to kind of paint this picture of this community, because I’m a homeowner here. I feel comfortable in this community. It could be better, it could always be better.”
They are grieving for those who were shot and their families.
Mechanicsville Resident Kwame Thompson said they are seeking solutions.
“We give our condolences to the families, and we have to come together as a community to support one another,” Thompson said. “In order to really try to make a difference out of these killings. And so we’re going to be out here every day in our community, reclaiming our community.”
Atlanta Police were not releasing many more details Tuesday about the shooting on Sunday but reminded people who might have information that there is a reward for tips in the case, if they contact Crime Stoppers Atlanta, and they can offer the information anonymously: online here or call (404) 577-8477.