The family of a young Athens mother killed by a stray bullet is asking the community for help.
24-year old Auriel Calloway and her unborn child were killed after a fight broke out at the Clarke Garden Apartments. While 27-year old Kiresa Cooper has been arrested in connection with that shooting, authorities and relatives are asking for more assistance from the community.
Bryant Gantt is the victim’s uncle.
“We just want to thank the Athens-Clarke County Police Department for a swift investigation and trying to bring it to a close, but we understand that this investigation is still going on,” Gantt said. “So we’d just like to ask the public, anyone out there that has any information that could assist them with their investigation. In this world of social media, everybody has a phone, everybody recording everything, so there has to be some more video to help them.”
Gantt is also the Director of Player Programs for the UGA football team. The former Georgia player and Athens native says he hopes the community can come together to help this type of violence here and elsewhere.
“It hits home because growing up, you see all the changes, all the stuff that’s happening in Athens, all the violence that’s going on not only in the world, but just here in our community. It hurts to see this environment turn into what it is.”
He believes area residents can make difference.
“If we start at home and just try to stop the violence at home. A lot of this stuff that happens is just senseless and uncalled for and could be avoided.”
The ACCPD says the shooting did not appear to be gang-related.
Cooper is charged with one count of Felony Murder and one count of Aggravated Assault in the shooting death of Auriel Callaway.
