Multiple shots were fired Thursday morning outside a preschool graduation ceremony at the Campbellton Road Community Center in southwest Atlanta, police said.
State representative Park Cannon (D-Atlanta) had just finished giving her commencement speech when she said up to 10 gunshots could be heard, Channel 2 Action News reported.
“Children were crying. Parents were concerned,” Canton said. “There was some grandparents who were feeling short of breath.”
Credit: Georgia House of Representatives
Credit: Georgia House of Representatives
Officers were asked to respond to the parking lot of the community center, located at 2800 Campbellton Road, around 11:45 a.m.
Police originally said one shot was fired into the ground during a child custody dispute between “two male acquaintances.” But later Thursday, police confirmed more than one shot was fired, but did not specify how many.
No injuries were reported, and both men stayed on the scene to speak with police.
Police charged Jatavious Sims, 33, with discharging firearms. He was given a copy of his charges and released at the scene.
Cannon told Channel 2 that parents and students were leaving during the shooting and ran back inside to take shelter. She said she hopes the students are able to forget how their graduation ended.
"And I just pray that their young minds somehow forget that as they left their pre-k graduation, there was gunfire waiting for them on the other side of the door,” Cannon said.
In other news:
