Loved ones mourn, remember young mother killed by gunfire

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Hundreds, maybe a thousand people crowded the Clarke Gardens Apartments on Thursday night to celebrate and mourn the life of Ariel Calloway, or "Thump" as many called her.

Police describe the 24-year-old shooting victim as an innocent bystander who was attempting to move her 3-year-old son to safety when a bullet struck her around 9:45 Monday night at the apartment complex. Police said a fight between two groups escalated into gunfire.

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Athens-Clarke County police officers performed CPR on the victim at the scene before first responders rushed her to an area hospital, where she and her unborn child died.

Thursday night, many spoke about the young mother being kind and the life of the party. Balloons were released in her honor.

The family begged for others to stop the gun violence.

Police arrested 27-year-old Kiresa Cooper on Wednesday night in connection to the deadly shooting. Investigators praised members of the community who came forward with details about the shooting.

Calloway's funeral is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. The family also hopes to host a gun buyback event Sunday to get guns off the street.

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