ATLANTA — Atlanta police continue to investigate the shooting death of a 44-year-old man who was gunned down early Saturday morning near the intersection of Garnett and Forsyth streets in downtown Atlanta.
Family members identified the victim as D’Anthony Reaves, a father of 20. They said that Reaves had 12 biological children and 8 stepchildren.
Loved ones gathered Saturday night in a nearby parking lot for a candlelight vigil to honor his memory, just steps away from where he was killed near the Greyhound station.
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“It’s really heartbreaking,” said Cheryl Heart, the mother of one of his daughters.
According to the Atlanta Police Department, Reaves was shot three times and died at the scene. One of his daughters, Shamiracle Brown, shared how devastating the news was.
“I could not process what happened. Then they told me he got shot in the face twice, and that made it so much worse,” Brown said. “I swear that whole neighborhood could’ve heard me [scream].”
Brown told Channel 2’s Eryn Rogers she had just spoken with her father Friday night before he went out.
She said he had planned to attend a musical performance she was putting on Saturday night.
“I actually had a show tonight,” Brown said. “I perform at 12:30, and he bought a ticket. He was supposed to come. He came to every show. He never missed a show since I started making music. He was very supportive. He was always there.”
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Instead of seeing him in the audience, she and dozens of others came together Saturday evening to light candles and release black and red balloons—Reaves’ favorite colors and a tribute to his beloved Atlanta Falcons.
“I’m just going to miss him,” Arianna James, another daughter, said.
The family said Reaves had deep roots in the community, having grown up in the Zone 3 neighborhood where the shooting occurred. He was also passionate about starting a program called “Power for the Fathers.”
“He wanted to help fathers get off the street, get their GEDs,” his brother, Deoineta Hightower, said.
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Atlanta police say they have a person of interest in custody, but the family is calling for greater action and accountability.
“We need more protection in our city,” Hightower said.
The family believes someone came from the bus station and tried to rob Reaves. They want to see better security at the station.
“They need to search,” Hightower said. “They need to have the same equipment that the airport has.”
The family is planning to hold Reaves’ funeral next Saturday.
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