ATHENS — More than 100 people gathered Wednesday for a balloon release at an east side park days after the shooting death of 3-year-old Kyron Zarco.
Many wore baby blue shirts featuring Zarco’s nickname: Baby Dro. There were tears shed and hugs. There was also a plea from Athens Commissioner Tiffany Taylor, police Chief Jerry Saulters and others to end gang violence.
“We don’t carry our babies nine months just to bury them at 3 and 4 years old,” Taylor, who grew up on the east side of Athens and represents District 3, told the crowd. “We don’t carry our babies nine months just to visit them in the prison system for the rest of their lives. We’ve got to take accountability as mamas, as fathers, as community leaders.”
Zarco was killed and his 9-year-old brother injured while they watched television in their Athens home Friday. Gunfire came from outside the home and appeared to be gang-related, authorities said.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Police arrested 17-year-old Julian Cubillos of Lawrenceville on Friday, then arrested Athens resident Jayden Brown, 16, on Wednesday. Both are charged with felony murder, malice murder, four counts of aggravated assault and violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.
Police are still searching for Dakious Echols, 18, and Desmontrez Mathis, 22. Both are from Athens and face the same charges as Cubillos and Brown, authorities said.
Credit: Athens-Clarke County Police Department
Credit: Athens-Clarke County Police Department
According to an arrest warrant obtained Wednesday, Cubillos “intentionally did provide transportation for individuals to intentionally shoot” at two people when Zarco was fatally shot. The warrant does not state if Zarco and his brother, or if anyone else inside the home, were the intended targets.
The warrant also states that Cubillos was “associated with a criminal street gang EBE” and committed aggravated assault by “shooting at opposing RTG gang members.”
Cedar Shoals High School in Athens bolstered its security earlier this week as authorities searched for suspects. Brown and Echols are former students.
“We as a community can’t allow this to continue,” Saulters said Wednesday. “We have to partner. We have to come together. We have to stop this senseless violence.”
Anyone with more information is asked to contact Athens police at 762-400-7060. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-TIPS (8477), online at www.StopCrimeAtl.org, or by texting CSA and the tip to CRIMES (274637). Tipsters do not have to give their name or any identifying information to be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to the location and arrest of Brown and Echols.
— Staff writers David Aaro and Caroline Silva contributed to this article.
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