Family holds funeral for 12-year-old killed in shooting outside Atlantic Station
ATLANTA - One of the two children gunned down on 17th Street near Atlantic Station was laid to rest Saturday afternoon.
The funeral for 12-year-old Zyion Charles, who died after a shooting three weeks ago, was held at 1 p.m. at The First Iconium Baptist Church on Moreland Avenue in southeast Atlanta.
After the service, there were plans for a march for Zyion, starting at the Olympic Rings at Capitol Avenue and ending outside the Liberty Plaza Gate.
"It's not fair. It was a whole, now it's a half," the boy's twin sister Zyrhia said. "I don't have him no more."
FAMILY HOLDS CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR 12-YEAR-OLD KILLED NEAR ATLANTIC STATION
The 12-year-old was one of six people shot on Nov. 26 on the 17th Street bridge after an altercation between teenagers.
Cameron Jackson (left) and Zyion Charles (right).
Zyion was not the target, police said. Cameron Jackson, a 15-year-old, also died from injuries in the shooting.
Two teens arrested in 'gang-related' shooting deaths of 12-, 15-year-old near Atlantic Station
Atlanta police arrested two teens Tuesday and charged them with murder in the deadly shooting that occurred on 17th Street, just feet away from popular Atlantic Station. It's where 12-year-old Zion Charles and 15-year-old Cameron Jackson were murdered.
Police have since arrested two suspects, both teenagers, in connection to the shooting.
Mother of murdered 12-year-old Zyion Charles cries as she speaks in front of Atlanta City Council. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
Zyion Charles' family attended a city hall meeting to talk about their loss and also sought answers to the kind of violence plaguing the city.
The boy's mother said her son was caught up with people she described as bad influences who committed crimes such as car break-ins.
She told council members she had asked a police officer to place her son into custody 7 days before the shooting, but was told juvenile authorities would not keep him due to its point formula for detention. She also said she reached out to Atlanta Police multiple times about her son.