Coan Park shooting: Families mourn after fraternity picnic turns deadly
Coan Park shooting: Families mourn after fraternity picnic turns deadly
The shooting at the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity picnic in Atlanta's Coan Park resulted in two deaths, including Anthony Pearson, who was not involved in the altercation.
ATLANTA - A second man has died following a shooting at a fraternity picnic in Atlanta’s Coan Park over the weekend, authorities confirmed.
SEE ALSO: 2 dead, 2 injured in shooting during fraternity gathering at Atlanta park
What we know:
The violence broke out Saturday evening during the annual Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity picnic, when police say an uninvited guest arrived and a confrontation escalated into gunfire.
According to the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office, 33-year-old Anthony Pearson died at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head. Atlanta police said he was not involved in the altercation that sparked the shooting.
The man believed to have started the confrontation was also shot during the incident and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. He later died from his injuries and has been identified as 23-year-old Justin Minitee.
Two other people were also injured in the shooting, but police say they are expected to recover.
What they're saying:
"He was going to make you feel like family. Everybody was family to him," Pearson’s sister said. "His aura is unmatched, it’s always going to be unmatched."
She described Pearson as a devoted son, brother, and father who stepped up as a leader in the family after their father’s death.
"When our dad passed, Anthony stepped up. He was the one," she said. "That’s why I call him my little big brother—because let him tell it, he’s the oldest and we have to listen to him."
Pearson had attended the event to celebrate the fraternity’s sense of brotherhood, she said.
"It just was brotherhood—it was another extension of his family," she added.
What we don't know:
The investigation is ongoing.
What you can do:
If you have any information that could help with the investigation, call the Atlanta Police Department.
The Source: FOX 5's Kim Leoffler spoke with the family of Anthony Pearson for this article. Additional details were provided by the Atlanta Police Department. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports were also used.