Vigil remembers slain Atlanta liquor store clerk

By Marcus K. Garner and Kristi E. Swartz

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mayor-elect Kasim Reed joined more than 100 people Monday night at a candle-light in memory for the Reynoldstown liquor store clerk who was shot and killed Friday.

"I'm going to wake up every single day making sure this stops right here, and right now," Reed said as he stood among friends and family members of slain 21-year-old Kavader Montez McKibben. "We've got to look out for our neighbors."

McKibben's mother, Trina McKibben, gave a tearful plea.

"I just want justice for my child," she said.

Atlantans Together Against Crime organized the vigil in the parking lot of the Moreland Package Store, and McKibbin's family and ATAC founder Kyle Keyser invited Reed.

"It’s just a tragic reminder of the vigilance that we all need to maintain – crime isn’t going away and we’ll continue to come together and hope to make it better," Keyser said.

McKibben was  killed during an armed robbery at the Moreland Package Store, police said. The suspect, 19--year-old Terrone Anthony, was injured in a shootout that followed with the store owner.

Just before 10 p.m., Anthony and another man walked into the store, police said. Anthony pulled a handgun on McKibben, demanding money, Atlanta police Det. Lt. Keith Meadows said.

McKibben was shot in the stomach and buttocks, and later died at the scene, authorities said.

"A second employee in the back heard the clerk shout, 'I've been shot,'" Meadows said. "He came out to the front with his own gun."

The second employee has been identified as store owner Shaun Yu. Yu exchanged gunfire with Anthony, shooting the perpetrator in the arm and leg, police said.

Anthony fled on foot and was arrested a block away on Mortimer Street by officers in the area responding to a report of shots fired, police said.

Anthony was charged with murder, and police continue to search for his alleged accomplice. No charges were filed against Yu.

Anthony remains at Grady Memorial Hospital. He will be taken to the Fulton County Jail once he is cleared by doctors.

-- Staff writers Larry Hartstein and Alexis Stevens contributed to this story.