Sweet Auburn mass shooting: Area businesses react

Businesses owners in Sweet Auburn neighborhood react to mass shooting

The area where a mass shooting took place in Atlanta is known for its nightlife scene. Business owners react to what they saw and heard when the mass shooting happened. 11 people were injured and one person died in the shooting. Police said they searching for four suspects -- three males and one female.

ATLANTA - Four shootings took place on Edgewood Avenue over the weekend, including a mass shooting on Monday that injured 11 people and killed one other in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood, according to police.

What we know:

The area where the shooting happened is known for its nightlife scene.

Atlanta Police detectives could be seen on Edgewood Avenue throughout the day and into the evening. They talked to business owners and looked for video of the mass shooting early Monday morning.

What they're saying:

John McCants Jr., who owns A&B Variety, heard the gunshots.

"I heard shots, 5,6,7 shots. 'Pow pow pow pow.' I looked down the sidewalk. I see two people on the sidewalk. There was a lady sitting up, and the guy was down on the sidewalk," said McCants.

Johnny Martinez, who owns Joystick Gamebar, says it's not a good representation of the area. He says small business owners and residents have worked hard over the years to improve the reputation of the area.

"Everything that happened is awful. But I don't think it's a good representation of the progress and the changes this street has made over the last three years," said Martinez.

John McCants Jr. has been in business here for 38 years.  He knows the area and the people.

"It's not a bad area, but they don't be the guys over here, it be the ones coming over, looking for the opportunity to say, 'hey, it's so crowded down there, you can do anything'," said McCants.

The backstory:

The mass shooting happened at 1:27 a.m. near the streetcar stop in the 300 block of Edgewood Ave., where police say a group of four suspects—three men and one woman—approached a crowd and opened fire. 

A 27-year-old man identified as Santos J. Wyatt was killed, and an 18-year-old male is in critical condition. Six additional males and 3 females are among the other victims.