Ann Tarpley struggled Monday to hold back tears as she lit candles for the families of four Hampton residents killed in a mass shooting over the weekend.
“I can’t imagine what you’re going through,” the mayor of the small Henry County community of about 8,300 said over and over as she looked into their faces, her voice breaking and trailing off. “I’m trying to keep it together.”
“This foolishness going on in the world, I don’t know who else could fix it” but god, Tarpley said to a chorus of Amens.
Hundreds of Henry County residents packed a small park outside the historic Hampton Depot for a candlelight vigil to mourn and show community support for the families of Scott Leavitt, 67; Shirley Leavitt, 66; Steve Blizzard, 65; and Ronald Jeffers, 66.
Police allege the four were shot to death Saturday by Army veteran Andre Longmore, who lived with his mother in the same quiet Dogwood Lakes subdivision as the victims.
Longmore, who struggled with mental health issues for the better part of a decade, according to a Channel 2 Action News interview with his mother, Lorna Dennis, was killed Sunday in nearby Clayton County in a shootout with officers. Two Clayton County Police officers and a Henry County Sheriff’s deputy were injured.
Authorities do not have a motive for the shootings.
Credit: Michael Blackshire / Michael.Blackshire@ajc.com
Credit: Michael Blackshire / Michael.Blackshire@ajc.com
Those who gathered for the Monday vigil wept, prayed and sang to help the families and the community heal. Like Tarpley, many of the speakers were deeply religious, encouraging attendees to lean on their faith to deal with the shock of the weekend’s events.
“As a city, as a community, we’re saying that darkness and evil has not won,” Hampton First Baptist Church senior pastor Craig McAdams said in a prayer. “We do have hope today.”
Other speakers extolled Hampton’s small-town feel and that its neighborly virtues will be crucial in moving the community forward.
“Grief doesn’t end today,” City Manager Alex Cohilas told the crowd. “It will linger. It will take time to heal. And if you care about your neighbor, you won’t forget them after tonight. You will check on them tomorrow, next Monday, and the Monday thereafter and the month thereafter.”
Amina Lanier said the hours after the shooting forced many in the community to make tough decisions. For instance, her husband, the Rev. George Lanier of Hampton United Methodist Church, called off in-person service Sunday as a precaution after news of the shootings circulated.
“We did not want to put anyone in harm’s way,” she said. “We understood that the situation had turned tragic and we felt that in an abundance of caution the best thing to do was to have service online on Sunday.”
Credit: Michael Blackshire / Michael.Blackshire@ajc.com
Credit: Michael Blackshire / Michael.Blackshire@ajc.com
Hampton City Councilwoman Sheila Barlow said she has never felt more proud of her community than she has in the past few days.
”I was proud of the number of people here, I am proud of the police department — they did an awesome job — I’m proud of Henry County, the marshals, just everybody pulling together and supporting each other,” Barlow said.
Deirdree Scandrett, wife of Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett, said Hampton demonstrated how to come together in the face of pain.
”Unfortunately, tragedy tends to bring out the better of us,” Scandrett said. “I wish it were reversed. But it is amazing to see how Hampton comes together as neighbors, friends family. There’s no color. There’s no particular religion. There’s no political political platform. It’s just human beings and human being sharing that love.”
Police Chief James Turner said the shootings have upended Hampton’s sense of peace and tranquility and that it’s incumbent on his department to bring it back.
“The fear that’s been in your hearts and that will remain there for a while, we feel it with you,” he said “We will do everything in our power in the next weeks and months and years to come to help ease that fear.”
Credit: Ben Hendren
