ATLANTA — Two arrests made by Atlanta Police in connection to a shooting where two kids were killed and four other people were hurt near Atlantic Station.
APD said Wednesday that they had arrested a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old in the case, and that they will be facing murder, aggravated assault and street gang charges.
Police did not identify the two. Asked if they confessed to their involvement in the shooting, Deputy Chief Charles Hampton said they were "able to say that they were significantly involved."
Without being able to go into much detail into what the suspects told police, Hampton said it "definitely helped our investigation."
They added one of the teens was apprehended in New York, and that both are students in the Atlanta Public Schools system. They were both described as shooters in the Nov. 26 incident.
According to Deputy Chief Hampton, police believe the two suspects knew each other but were not traveling together. He said the investigation remains active and that the department anticipates additional charges in the case.
"We are going to hold everyone responsible for these deaths," Hampton said.
The shooting happened off 17th Street around the overpass of the Downtown Connector. Police initially said the gunfire stemmed from two groups of teens who had been kicked off Atlantic Station property regarding unruly behavior and curfew violations but later said they believe it was gang-related.
A 12-year-old named Zyion Charles died the same night of the incident. The second victim, 15-year-old Cameron Jackson, was initially in critical condition after the shooting but died in the hospital. Four other people were injured.
Though police believe the shooting to be gang-related, the family of 12-year-old Charles has said they don't believe he was part of a gang. APD confirmed in a press conference on Nov. 30 that Jackson was the target of the gunfire.
The department released a video of two prime suspects on November 30, showing them walking with a group of teens down 17th Street before the shooting on Nov. 26. The department also had surveillance of the group after the shooting, leaving on a MARTA train.
Zyion's mother, Deerica Charles, gave emotional remarks last week before the Atlanta City Council Public Safety Committee describing her efforts to steer her son away from a path of dangerous behavior. She said he had been involved in groups breaking into cars, an increasingly common form of street crime in Atlanta.
"I tried, y'all. I called the police office almost 30 times in the last two years, and they told me they can't do nothing. I said he's out and breaking into these folks' cars, can you please get him off the street," Deerica said.
Jackson's family described him as a teen who loves science, animals, cooking and riding dirt bikes. He also had been practicing boxing since he was just 9 years old.
Some city leaders have called for a youth curfew in the wake of the shooting and other incidents of gun violence among young people. That tactic was endorsed by Duvwon Robinson, a community advocate and former city council candidate who introduced the family at the Public Safety Committee meeting.
"As a stopgap measure to save the lives of family members and our neighbors until we develop a solution, we must move quickly to protect the lives of our most vulnerable populations," Atlanta City Councilmember Keisha Sean Waites said.
She added that "much of the violence in our city is a result of unmet needs, including lack of affordable housing, inadequate access to mental health services, and low-paying wages."
Atlantic Station currently has a curfew of 3 p.m. for unaccompanied youths under the age of 18. They must be with a parent or guardian after 3 p.m., and no one under 21 is allowed on the property after 9 p.m.