ATLANTA — Just 48 hours after family members learned their loved ones' lives were cut short in a shooting near the Mall West End, they faced city leaders and demanded action.
They spoke during an Atlanta Public Safety meeting Monday about the shooting that left three people dead over the weekend.
The family of 20-year-old Jakobi Maddox was among those who spoke to city council members– asking for them to do more to address gun violence. Maddox was one of the three people shot and killed Saturday.
"That's the worst day of my life," Maddox's grandmother Annie Ashmeade said. "All this crime in the West End area and other areas - it has to stop. We need resources."
Atlanta Police said they responded to the 600 block of Evans Street around 1:30 p.m. Saturday. When officers arrived, they said they found three men shot. Two of the men died at the scene and a third man was rushed to Grady Hospital, where he died upon arrival.
They were identified as Maddox, 17-year-old Derrion Johnson, and 38-year-old Jarvis Scott.
"I heard some gunshots and I came to the front door and I seen the guy shooting and take off running. And so, when I went around to see what had happened, I seen a young brother laying on the ground right beside my building-- taking his last breath," Julious Khalid recalled.
Khalid said he only had a moment to take it all in.
"And when I looked down I saw the other dude. And I ran down there and tried to support him but it looks like he was taking his last breath as well," he said.
APD said one of the three men opened fire at the other two-- before one of them returned fire-- killing the shooter.
Ashmeade said all of this violence is traumatizing families, and in turn, communities. The ones left hurting from the violence aren't the people pointing the guns.
Atlanta City Councilmember Keisha Waites said they're hoping to work with the community to find a solution to the violence.
"I think to say they were not moving in the right direction would not be fair to the men and women who serve every day," Waites said. "Frankly, our violent crime rates and homicide rates are going down, so I'm proud of that. However, when you lose three individuals in one weekend something is wrong something is broken and I think the issue is how do we all collaborate together and figure out what that is."
Khalid, the owner of the business the shooting happened in front of, invited council members and the public to discuss solutions to gun violence on Friday.