Tragedy struck the heart of Atlanta yesterday morning when D'Anthony Reaves was shot multiple times and killed. FOX 5 Atlanta reports that the Atlanta Police Department responded to the 200 block of Forsyth Street SW around 5:30 a.m. to find Reaves with fatal wounds to his face and arm.
The victim's family organized a vigil on Saturday night near the location of the shooting, paying homage to the deceased who was a father to 12 and a stepfather to 8 more. In an outpouring of grief, his brother, Deoinetea Hightower, reflected on Reaves' character to FOX 5 Atlanta, saying, "He was just my little brother. He was my hype-man. It's going to be hard for me and my family."
As the community grappled with the loss, additional details emerged from family statements. "It’s really heartbreaking," Cheryl Heart, the mother of one of Reaves' daughters, shared with WSB-TV. Reaves was pronounced dead at the scene, having sustained multiple gunshots. Shamiracle Brown, Reaves' daughter, in a statement obtained by WSB-TV, recounted her disbelief, "I could not process what happened. Then they told me he got shot in the face twice, and that made it so much worse."
The Atlanta Police Department has a person of interest in custody, but Reaves' relatives are pressing for more preventive measures. "We need more protection in our city," Hightower demanded, suggesting that the security at the bus station, close to where the incident took place, should be ramped up. "They need to search," Hightower asserted, "They need to have the same equipment that the airport has," according to WSB-TV. The funeral service for Reaves is scheduled for the following Saturday.
