2 Georgia cousins killed in separate shootings in single month
SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - Two families who have lost children in deadly shootings are calling for an end to senseless gun violence.
Monday night, FOX 5 learned the victims in a deadly Clayton County shooting and a South Fulton shooting are related.
Stacy Wright is the great aunt to 5-year-old Khalis Eberhart. The little girl was accidentally shot and killed by her 3-year-old cousin on Thanksgiving Day at The Gardens at Camp Creek Apartments on Washington Road.
Police say the 3-year-old child found the registered weapon under a sofa cushion and fired it into the Eberhart's chest, killing her.
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Then just last week 11-year-old Elyjah Munson was shot and killed by a 12-year-old friend during an argument in front of his older brother. The victims of both shootings were actually cousins.
Mother of 11-year-old killed in shooting says she moved to escape Chicago violence
Kendall Munson, whose 11-year-old son Elyjah was shot and killed in an argument with another child on Thursday evening in a Riverdale neighborhood, said she moved her family to the Atlanta area to escape the violence in Chicago. The mother of four said another one of her sons witnessed the whole thing.
This family says they have been victimized by gun violence more than they like to talk about.
Wright herself has been a victim of a shooting decades ago. She was shot in 1996 and her son was shot in the head in 2005.
"It's not just our family. I see it in the news all the time," she said.
South Fulton Police Chief Keith Meadows says there are many of these shootings we never hear about.
"I don't think people understand the magnitude of the problem," Meadows said. "We asked parents to put their guns up. What you do not hear about is the number of children shot in the leg or arm."
Khalis Eberhart and Elyjah Munson (Courtesy of the families)
The chief believes rolling out an education campaign can make the difference.
"We are partnering with our gun experts. One if them will actually do a class for parents and children," he said. "One of the things she is doing is teaching children about gun safety. Letting them know the difference between real guns and toys."
Meadows says the first class starts next week at the South Fulton Arts Center at 12 and 3 p.m. The classes are free and open to the public.