In response to Bobby Tillman's death, hundreds meet to stop the violence

More than 600 people, mostly high school and college age, filled a Douglasville church sanctuary and spilled into an overflow room Thursday night to discuss ways to stop the senseless violence such as that which took the life of Bobby Tillman at a party last weekend.

The gathering, termed a "summit," also included school, clergy and law enforcement officials, and sought to help clear the air between friends of Tillman, 18, and the four accused of stomping him to death.

According to witnesses, Tillman was attacked as he and a group of teens tried to leave a house party on Independence Drive. Witnesses said the fight began as a spat between two girls, one of whom struck a boy, who angrily declared that while he would not hit a girl, he'd hit the next boy he saw.

That turned out to be Tillman.

Tillman's mother, Monique Rivarde, told those gathered at the Marvelous Light Christian Ministry they deserve a good life and to put in their minds, "I deserve a good life."

She said her son "used to tell me it's nothing wrong with doing the right thing and I'm telling you all, there's nothing wrong with doing the right thing."

Officials at the summit say it is the first step toward more comprehensive efforts to address violence in the community. They gathered names of those in attendance to follow up with other activities and to use to recruit more participants.