ATLANTA — A family is searching for answers weeks after a 21-year-old man was shot and killed in southwest Atlanta.
Police say the shooting happened around 3 p.m. on Feb. 15 at a home on Coleman Street in the Pittsburgh neighborhood. Officers found Trevales “Tre” Tolbert Jr., a New Manchester High School graduate, suffering from a gunshot wound. Medics took him to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he later died.
Tolbert’s mother, Santriss Hawkins, told Channel 2’s Eryn Rogers that the loss has been devastating.
“It’s an unbearable pain. It’s a pain I wish I didn’t have to live,” Hawkins said.
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Hawkins said Tolbert was visiting a friend at the time of his death.
“I never imagined in a million years that my son would be murdered being around people that he trusted,” she said.
Family spokesperson Samaria K. Smith said Tolbert had a connection to the home where the shooting happened.
“He is close friends with a young man who, it is our understanding, was leasing the property. They grew up together out here in Douglasville,” Smith said.
Loved ones described the moment they learned what happened as overwhelming.
“Just completely broken. It was gut-wrenching. It was heartbreaking,” Smith said.
The family said they are also frustrated by what they describe as a lack of communication from investigators. More than three weeks after the shooting, Tolbert’s mother said she still has many unanswered questions.
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“To sit here and just have me in limbo, wondering what happened to my son is unacceptable,” Hawkins said.
Atlanta police said they do not have any further information to release about the case. When asked for the incident report, the department said it was not ready yet.
The family said they respect the investigative process but want more updates.
“We are seeking answers. We are expecting frequent communication, diligence, investigation urgency, so we can figure out exactly what happened,” Smith said.
Loved ones held a vigil Sunday in hopes of bringing more awareness to the case and keeping attention on the search for answers.
“I know that my son will get the justice that he deserves,” Hawkins said.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing. Tolbert’s family is asking anyone with information to contact APD. They also said they fear for their safety, knowing the person responsible for the shooting has not been caught.
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