Three dead in West End shooting over ‘who got more money,’ witness says

ATLANTA - Three people are dead after an argument near Atlanta’s West End Mall turned into a shootout. Atlanta police said the shooting, believed to be "targeted," happened on Evans Street just after 1 p.m.

The impact of the shooting was still being felt hours later by community members processing what they’d witnessed, and by loved ones of the victims who showed up at the scene only to have their worst fears confirmed.

"I fell out because this is not what you want to see," said Kiwii Ashmead.

Ashmead identified her nephew, 20-year-old Jakobi Maddox, as one of the three people Atlanta Police detectives said were shot and killed Saturday. Maddox was the father of a one-year-old baby boy.

"We were supposed to be going on a family vacation next week. Now, we’re not going with my nephew. Instead, we have to bury my nephew," Ashmead told reporters. "He was a gentle giant, very respectable, but unfortunately, you know, the streets got a hold of him."

Another longtime resident, who identified herself as "TT" but did not want her face shown on camera, told FOX 5 she’s seen just how dangerous the streets can be. She said she witnessed the moments leading up to the shooting.

"Two guys arguing over 'who got money' and 'who pistol is the biggest' ended up shooting each other," she said. "It’s very concerning about what’s going on now. It’s getting very outrageous over here now."

Atlanta police said they believe one of the men involved approached two others with his firearm and started shooting. That’s when one of the other two men returned gunfire. All three were pronounced dead.

Resident Monique Burston echoed those concerns about gun violence. She told FOX 5 she lost her own daughter to gun violence in 2017.

"I feel very sad that mothers like me are having to bury our children. Our children are not burying us, we’re burying our children," she said.

For West End residents, gun violence is described as an everyday occurrence and while they said it seems more and more youth are falling victim to it, they’re calling on parents and city officials to take additional action to address it.

"Our city need to get it together … Mayors in the past that said what y’all was gonna do, and it didn’t get done, pay attention," TT added.

Atlanta police said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing. If you have any information, give detectives a call.