City of South Fulton Police are putting together the pieces of a shooting in broad daylight at Welcome All Park, which took the life of a young father.
South Fulton Police Chief Keith Meadows believes it may have stemmed from a fight over a woman, and it happened next to a Stop the Violence event with dozens of children present. The shooting isn't related to the event, police said, but it rattled those who attended.
“At least five or six shots, and then when I got over, there were bullets everywhere," South Fulton District 3 Councilwoman Helen Z. Willis said.
She added she heard the shots as she spoke at the Stop the Violence rally.
“I’m very disappointed," Willis said. "I’m very upset because we are here to celebrate on ways we can stop the violence, and then violence was brought into our park.”
South Fulton Police said a 18-year-old died after the shooting at the park around 4:30 p.m. He was later identified by officers as Malik Hambrick. Crime scene tape and police vehicles lined the area as the victim's family grieved.
“We do have some information to suggest that they were involved in some kind of altercation first. We also have received information that it might have been in reference to a young female that one of the individuals was dating at the time," South Fulton Police Chief Keith Meadows said.
“They [the victim's family] said he is a father. They said he is a good person," Willis said.
“It’s just sad. It brings back a lot of memories," Marley Scott, who was at the rally as well, said. He only has memories of his cousin, Davonte Stembridge, who was murdered at just 19 years old in College Park in 2011.
“We need the young people here," Scott said. "If they keep on killing everybody off, there’s not going to be anyone left.”
Scott and a group of people at the rally couldn't believe they heard gunshots during an anti-violence event. A hearse with the words "gone too soon" sat at the front of the Stop the Violence rally as a young man lost his life too soon in the park's parking lot.
“It’s just unfortunate. What it does show is that the reason we’re here is definitely real. We’re here for anti-violence, and it actually happens in our face," explained Dylan Yale Williams, an organizer for the Stop the Violence Rally.
“I’m sorry for the families, for both families, because two lives are going to be lost here in the one who’s deceased, and the one who committed the crime," Willis said. "Violence is not the answer.”
Chief Meadows said police had a suspect in custody on Sunday night. However, on Monday, South Fulton Police notified 11Alive that they did not have any suspects in custody.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to show that the victim is 18 years old.