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Carrollton mother killed in crossfire
A Carrollton family is preparing to bury a young mother killed in a triple shooting last weekend, as loved ones remember her kindness and call for justice.
CARROLLTON, Ga. - A Carrollton family is preparing to bury a young mother killed in a triple shooting last weekend, as loved ones remember her kindness and call for justice.
Police say 26-year-old Lareon "Lay Lay" Brown, a mother of three, was shot to death early Sunday on Sixth Street in Carrollton. Her cousin, Kathy Cheeks, survived after being hit by several bullets.
Carrollton mother of three gunned down
The backstory:
Carrollton police say officers responded to reports of gunfire early Sunday morning along Sixth Street, where they found the 26-year-old dead at the scene. Two other people, including her cousin Kathy Cheeks, were taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds.
Investigators believe an argument among several people led to the shooting. Four suspects, identified as Cyntez Worthy, Jamine Hutchinson, Zontavius Vaughn, and Jericho Lowry, are now facing murder and related charges.
Brown was a mother of three who had been celebrating her child’s birthday earlier that day. Family members say she was not involved in the dispute that sparked the violence. Police have not released additional details about what led up to the gunfire.
Mother remembers Lareon Brown: ‘She was just amazing’
What they're saying:
"They shot me. That’s the thing I don’t understand," Cheeks said. "What was going on was basically nonsense. Stuff that could’ve been avoided. People was toting guns."
Brown’s mother, Qualeshas Lowery, said her daughter had just celebrated her child’s birthday earlier that day and wasn’t involved in any confrontation. "She was nowhere in the mix of anybody’s drama," Lowery said.
"She was just amazing," Cheeks said, describing her cousin as the one who organized family reunions and barbecues. Lowery said her daughter stepped up when her own health failed. "I was preparing them to make arrangements like this for me, not me making arrangements," she said.
Lowery called her daughter "the rock" of the family. "Some days I wake up crying because I’m hurt, and then some days I wake up crying because I’m angry," she said. "They didn’t have to do my baby like that."
As they plan Brown’s funeral this weekend, relatives say their focus will soon turn to seeking justice. "After I put my baby to rest, that’s what I’m going to work on," Lowery said.
Family members said Brown and Cheeks were simply in the area and not part of any dispute.
Arrests in Carrollton triple shooting
What we know:
Police have charged Cyntez Worthy, Jamine Hutchinson, and Zontavius Vaughn with murder.
What we don't know:
Investigators have not said what sparked the gunfire or how the suspects knew the victims.
It’s also unclear who fired the first shots or whether any of the weapons have been recovered.
Police have not released details about the type of gun used, surveillance video, or whether additional arrests are possible.
The Source: Kathy Cheeks, the cousin to 26-year-old Lareon "Lay Lay" Brown, a mother of three, and Brown's mother, Qualeshas Lowery, spoke to FOX 5's Kevyn Stewart. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.