Family grieves 'senseless' loss of Ina Chambers after funeral home shooting

Family remembers woman killed outside funeral home

The family of Ina Chambers said they have "no words" to express how they feel after their loved one was killed outside a funeral home on Friday.

EAST POINT, Ga. - Ina Chambers was a woman who "treated everyone like family," a vibrant soul whom her brother described as the life of the party and the "glue" of her community.

The backstory:

On Friday afternoon, she was looking after her family when her life was cut short in a burst of "senseless and cowardly" violence.

Chambers, 55, had just taken her grandchildren to a viewing for another relative at the Gus Thornhill Funeral Home. Family members say she was standing near the entrance of the property when a drive-by shooting began, hitting her and another woman.

What they're saying:

"It’s so senseless, and it’s just hard to wrap your head around it," said her brother, Efrem Jenkins. "The phrase that we’ve been using is just: no words. Just no words."

Jenkins remembered his sister as "vibrant" and "very biblical," a devoted wife who was always doing something good for others. "My little sister has been taken away," he said. "For those of you who know her, you know she’s the best."

Her husband of eight years, Phil Chambers, sat in stunned silence as the family gathered to grieve. "I just got a clear mind. Don’t know what to do," he shared. "I lost my wife."

East Point Police Chief Shawn Buchanan called the shooting an "outrage," noting that four different families were at the funeral home for wakes at the time of the attack.

"They're suffering. They're trying to bury their loved ones, and for someone to take that opportunity away from them and destroy their peace... our team will not rest until justice is served," Buchanan said.

As the search for the shooters continues, Jenkins had a direct plea for those responsible: "Control your kids... you’re ruining your lives, and you’re taking our lives. If you can just find a way to just stop, please stop."

What's next:

Detectives are currently reviewing neighborhood security footage and investigating whether the drive-by is connected to another shooting that occurred on the same block earlier that day.