Mother of murdered CAU baseball player has message for college students
Murdered CAU student was affectionate and creative, family says
The family of a Clark Atlanta University student murdered near the college campus is still in shock. They say Jatonne Sterling was an affectionate young man who loved his family and his beloved school. His family has advice for all parents whose children are in college.
ATLANTA - The family of a Clark Atlanta University baseball player murdered near the campus is still in shock.
The family of Jatonne Sterling says he was an affectionate young man who loved his family and his beloved School, Clark Atlanta University.
"I feel like I just entered into a club that I never wanted to be in. When the phone rang and it was Clark Atlanta, I knew he was gone," his mother, Larena Tucker, said with regret.
The Chicago mother of four says she had an extremely close relationship with her son, Jatonne.
She talked to the 20-year-old sophomore every day from her home in Chicago and describes him as a high achiever who loved to speak and perform.
"Always energetic, always into music. Baseball was his first love in sports," his mom revealed.
Ms. Tucker shared Jatonne's CAU homecoming performance he did earlier this year.
His family says he was a hugger, fiercely competitive and loved his school.
"He wanted to go to Clark Atlanta University from eighth grade," his mom said.
Although, Jatonne realized his dream of attending CAU, Atlanta Police say he died near the campus in the parking lot of a Catholic center on Beckwith Street on Tuesday.
Detectives say he met an acquaintance there. The two men got into a car, an argument started and both men pulled out guns, police say.
Jatonne did not survive.
Keontay People's was injured and is now charged with felony murder. He remained in the hospital on Friday recovering.
Ms. Tucker has some advice for all parents of college students.
"Please put this in your scholars' heads: There are predators. People who pose themselves as friends on these college campuses. They want to hang around the dorms. They want to befriend people for opportunity. They pose themselves as friends, but they're not," Ms. Tucker said, with her daughter Ashley sitting next to her.
Jatonne lost his father in 2019 to a massive heart attack. His mother says ever since that tragedy he appreciated life even more.