Clark Atlanta community holds vigil for student killed at Catholic center

ATLANTA - Members of Clark Atlanta University came together Wednesday night to honor Jatonne Sterling who was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon. 

"Sterling touched so many lives here at Clark Atlanta University, so we just wanted to make sure that we paid respects to his family, paid respects to him," CAU Undergraduate SGA President Ki’Andre Thomas said.

Friends of Sterling organized the candlelight vigil in his honor.

"I did not want the last memory of him to be that he was found on the street and we just have to live with that. I wanted his life to be celebrated," vigil organizer Zyriah Gray said.

FAMILY REMEMBERS CLARK ATLANTA STUDENT KILLED IN CATHOLIC CENTER PARKING LOT

Tuesday’s shooting at the Catholic student center is the second near the Clark Atlanta University campus this school year. Four people were injured when shots were fired at a gathering for CAU’s Homecoming in October. Now some students are on edge.

"We need a better security, we need people to be on top of security. Our safety matters the most. We're not paying the amount that we're paying to not feel safe," Gray explained.

University officials say they’ve partnered with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Atlanta Public Schools, and the public safety departments at the Atlanta University Center to step up patrol around the perimeter of campus.

For now, students say they’re leaning on each other for support.

"The amount of people that turned out tonight...just shows the amount of lives that he touched and even if he didn't touch directly in some way he affected their lives and made them feel important," Thomas explained. 

"I really want this to be the start of something that creates so much change in the community," Gray added. 

APD is continuing to investigate what led up to the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to give them a call.