ATLANTA — A shooting near Atlantic Station Saturday night involving a group of young people is raising concerns in the community as the New Year’s Eve holiday approaches.
Tiffany Smith, the mother of 15-year-old Cameron Jackson, who lost his life in a shooting at Atlantic Station in 2022, told Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter the latest incident brought her back to the night she lost her son.
“Waking up and seeing that news report was like a flashback. Is this still going on? It raises concern for Atlanta, and there’s this space of uncertainty, like where are we headed?” Smith said.
Atlanta Police say officers were called to the shopping center after reports of a group of juveniles fighting on Market Street. When officers arrived to assist Atlantic Station security, they encountered what police described as a “very large crowd of young people.”
During the investigation, officers determined that fireworks had been set off in and around Atlantic Station. Police coordinated a strategic and safe dispersal of the crowd with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies across Atlanta.
As those efforts continued, officers say they witnessed a group of juveniles exchanging gunfire near 17th and Spring streets, damaging nearby businesses.
Atlanta City Councilmember Michael J. Bond says the violence is concerning and more needs to be done.
“Everything that we’re doing to direct the lives of young people in this city, it’s still not enough,” Bond said.
Smith, who founded Angel Mothers Collective after her son’s death, an organization that helps grieving mothers advocate for change, says addressing the violence will require a collective effort.
“When things like this happen, a lot of times we want to blame each other, and that keeps us disconnected,” Smith said. “The violence we’re seeing is a sign of that disconnection. We’ve got to come together and come up with solutions instead of fighting each other.”
While no one was injured Saturday night, leaders are urging community members to take action now, ahead of the New Year’s Eve holiday.
“If you have guns, secure them now. Put them away. Don’t let young people have access to them,” Smith said.
Police say five juveniles were detained in connection with Saturday’s incident. No additional details about what led to the shooting have been released.
Smith says her organization is preparing to launch a “Grief to Grow” program on Jan. 4, aimed at helping mothers build leadership skills to better guide youth.
“What’s been missing is leadership, the capacity to lead, and this program is going to help address that,” Smith said.
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