An active duty Army sergeant was killed early Sunday morning while trying to give away shoes to the homeless, according to his family.
Sgt. Atting Eminue and his family came to the United States from Nigeria 15 years ago for a better life, and now his family is forced to cope with the 24-year-old’s death.
“I didn’t bring a son to America to come bury a son,” said Atabang Eminue, the victim’s father. “God is keeping us alive and He is the source of our strength.”
Eminue was an Amy sergeant who served three tours in Afghanistan, according to his family, and he was a father to a 4-year-old boy.
“He loved his son,” said Angela Gbaka, whose son was best friends with Eminue. “He was a good father and I just don’t understand why.”
Atlanta police say Eminue was walking with a friend to his car early Sunday morning and was shot near the Peachtree-Pine homeless shelter during an altercation.
His family says someone confronted him while he tried to give away shoes to the homeless and he was shot multiple times.
“He had shoes and stuff that he was giving because he always does that,” said Gbaka.
While his family grapples with his murder, they say they struggle to understand why they see so much violence in the U.S.
“We cannot be having people that are not mentally okay holding guns in the street,” said Bessy Atting, his aunt.
Police are hopeful witnesses can help identify a shooter and Eminue’s father says the killer’s fate is in God’s hands.
“There is a lot of opportunity in this country,” he said, “God should forgive him.”
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