Faith, community, and local leaders call for prayers and action after Subway shooting

ATLANtA - Faith and community leaders are teaming up to try and find solutions to senseless violence across the community. Friday afternoon, they gathered in the parking lot of a Subway restaurant where a man shot two workers, killing one, and critically injuring another over a fight over a condiment.

The afternoon was filled with prayers with a promise for action.

"The immediate need is to minister to people in the trauma," Joseph Evans, the interim pastor at Friendship Baptist Church said.

Evans was one of the church leaders who joined together in response to a deadly shooting at the Subway restaurant Sunday night.

Al Robinson is one of the franchise owners here.

"Anyone that can get angry and triggered by something as small as putting too much mayo on a sandwich causing this kind of reaction, this is unheard of, this is crazy." Robinson said.

Atlanta police said 36-year-old Marvin Williams shot two of the employees here. It is a crime that has created a bigger call for action from the local businesses and surrounding community.

"Gun violence is real, and this is our first time as business owners that we have a platform to show how this is effecting us," Robinson said.

That is why city and state leaders also took part in the vigil on Friday, as a way to promise solutions and work together.

State Representative Mesha Mainor said part of fixing these problems will come down to voting during every election and for every position.

"We're mourning with the community, it's a really sad time, but we're trying to foot to action instead of just saying it's a sad moment." Representative Mainor said.

City councilman Michael Bond said creating more partnerships and working together will play a critical role moving forward. He also said it is the city's priority to ensure the police and the recreation departments are fully staffed as a way of preventing crime.

'It's all hands-on deck for us to be here and raise our kids make a viable community and say no to those who want to be a purveyor of crime," he said.

That is the message these faith leaders echo, prayers are important, but they need plans.

A number of churches already have their own crime prevention organizations in place, but they said they plan to coordinate and work together going forward in order to help make a bigger impact.

The sister of Jada Statum, one of the Subway employees who was injured in the shooting, has started a GoFundMe for the woman's medical bills and life expenses.