A 12-year-old boy is fighting for his life in the hospital after being shot multiple times in southwest Atlanta, as Atlanta rappers make a heartfelt visit. The shooting occurred near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Hamilton E. Holmes Drive NW on Friday evening, according to 11Alive, leaving the boy with chest and arm wounds.
Young Dro and Ralo, prominent figures in the Atlanta rap scene, visited the victim, identified as Ja'Quavious Davis, in Egleston Children’s Hospital on Monday. They arrived with balloons and a stern message about gun violence in their city. "I’m all about people protecting themselves, but senseless violence I stand up against," Young Dro said in a sentiment,, reported by FOX 5. The artists expressed concern about the impact of such violence on young lives and conveyed the urgent need for community-based solutions to keep kids like Davis safe and engaged constructively.
The Atlanta Police Department has yet to release details about the suspect or the motivation behind the shooting, which seems to have occurred at the address of Little Shop of Styles Hair salon, as cited by 11Alive. The young boy, who was alert and conscious upon his hospital admission, was reportedly with his older brother selling water when the shooting took place.
Young Dro is not only vocal about his stance against gun violence, but is also taking action through his organization "It Takes a Village Still." "Gun violence is not the way…we got to have some solutions for these kids to get out the streets," he told FOX 5 Atlanta. Dro has called on fellow artists to use their platforms for promoting peace, and in an extension of this commitment, he and Ralo are aiding the Davis family by contributing to their GoFundMe to cover medical expenses., Young Dro also expressed his desire to become a mentor to Ja’Quavious.
As the investigation continues, community members are engaging in efforts to confront the spiraling gun violence that affects the youth. Meanwhile, Davis remains in critical condition, and Atlanta’s hip-hop community is stepping up in support, bringing attention to the need for alternatives that will divert young people from the dangers of the street.
