Shooting in Rosa Burney Park: Families give update
Family and community members gathered Friday afternoon to provide an update on those injured in a mass shooting over the weekend in Mechanicsville. It happened at a neighborhood celebration meant to bring people together. Five people were shot, one of whom remains in critical condition.
ATLANTA – Family and community members gathered Friday afternoon to provide an update on those injured in a mass shooting in Mechanicsville over the weekend.
It happened after a large gathering at Rosa Burney Park, where attendees had come together to meet friends and celebrate community. Five people were shot, including three teenagers and a woman who was still in critical condition Friday.
Atlanta police said they recovered more than 90 bullet casings at the crime scene that night.
“I’m hurt, I’m angry, I’m very upset and upset,” said Tabatha Colzie, the mother of 29-year-old Nekevia Colzie.
Colzie says her daughter has been fighting for her life for nearly a week after being shot in the head at a neighborhood party in Mechanicsville.
“My daughter is fighting for her life. She was the nicest person you could imagine and never hurt anyone. The nicest person. She just wanted to come and have fun. She worked Monday through Friday, so why not come and have fun when you’ve worked all week?” Colzie said.
“This was the coming together of Mechanicsville. This was the community coming together to spend time together. There was a barbecue, people playing games. Family. There were kids, elders. Kids everywhere,” said Malawi Davis, an attorney and community activist.
“I have fought for other families for over 20 years and now it is time to fight for mine,” said Lenny Black, whose 17-year-old granddaughter was among the injured.
Black’s granddaughter is still in the hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the back.
People from the community gathered around the families outside Grady Hospital and demanded answers.
“People are running from bullets, ducking under cars and hiding, and now, on Monday, they’re just supposed to get up and go to school,” said David Bozeman, a lawyer and community activist.
No arrests were made, which community members consider unacceptable.
“This mother went to security and the Atlanta Police Department and said there was a group of young men with backpacks and guns. Some of the guns were visible,” Davis said.
“I’ll be damned if I’m going to coddle them and say it’s OK. I don’t care if you’re 10, 12 or 17 years old, they need to be held accountable,” Bozeman said.
Members of the community are organizing a community healing event at the Dunbar Center on August 24th and are inviting the public to come and join them.
