ATLANTA — It's been almost a year since a devastating shooting broke out near Atlantic Station killing two young boys. The shooting left a mark on the city sparking a debate about how to address youth violence leading to the approval of a citywide curfew.
Zyion Charles and Cameron Jackson were both shot and killed at 12 and 15 years old after the Thanksgiving weekend shooting last year. Four others were hurt in the shooting. Police arrested seven people in connection with the incident.
"We're never going to bring back Zyion and Cameron, but what we can do is lean forward," Atlanta Councilwoman Keisha Waites said. "We can wrap our arms around our youth."
Waites led the efforts to change the city's curfew laws after learning of the violent act. The efforts to enact the curfew grew louder after a 16-year-old girl was killed in a Memorial Day weekend shooting earlier this year.
When is the curfew?
Curfew starts at 11 p.m. Thanksgiving night and runs through 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday's curfew go from midnight until 6 a.m. Sunday's curfew goes from 11 p.m. to 6a.m.
What are the consequences if you don't follow?
While council debated expanding the hours, ultimately, they decided to change the penalties of the curfew. The body voted to get rid of the $1,000 fine and jail time. Instead, council agreed to a citation for a first offense and participation in an education program for parents of the kids who violate the curfew ordinance a subsequent time.
"If you're under the age of 18 years of age, we need to know where you are," Waites said. "You need to be supervised, so we can make sure you're safe. This was never a one solution size dynamic. This is just one piece of the puzzle. At the end of the day, it's really about parental accountability."