The 44-year-old father of 20 — 12 biological children and eight stepchildren was reportedly near the intersection of Forsyth Street SW and Garnett Street around 5:15 a.m. on July 19 when he was attacked while trying to retrieve his bicycle. He was shot multiple times, including twice in the face and once in the arm, and pronounced dead at the scene, authorities confirmed.
“He came to every show. He never missed a show since I started making music,”
His daughter, Shamiracle Brown, told local media that her voice broke as she recalled how her father had bought a ticket to watch her perform that night.
“He was very supportive. He was always there.”
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According to officials, a MARTA police officer stationed at the nearby Garnett rail stop heard the gunshots and saw a man standing over Reaves’ body before fleeing the scene. The officer immediately alerted Atlanta police. A person of interest is currently in custody for questioning, though no charges have been filed.
Reaves’ family believes he was targeted in a robbery.
“It’s time for us to stand up for our own rights, our own self, for our community, We lost millions and millions of people around this. You see this everyday, it ain’t new. But in Atlanta, the state of Georgia, we’re losing, we’re not winning, and that gun law is really destroying our communities,”
Said his brother, Deoineta Hightower.
Those who knew Reaves describe him as the “life of the party” — a man with an infectious smile, a free spirit, and a deep love for his children and community. He grew up in Atlanta’s Zone 3 neighborhood and dreamed of launching a program called “Power for the Fathers,” aimed at helping dads earn their GEDs and get off the streets.
On Saturday night, mere hours after the shooting, dozens of friends and relatives gathered in a nearby parking lot for a candlelight vigil. They wore red and black to honor Reaves’ favorite football team, the Atlanta Falcons, and released balloons into the sky. Some wept. Others prayed. All of them called for change.
“He didn’t deserve to go like this,” said one relative. “Not Dinky.”
The tragedy marks at least the second deadly shooting near the Greyhound station in just over two months. In May 2025, another man, Torrance Statham, was killed nearby. Since then, Atlanta police data shows a troubling pattern of crimes around the area, ranging from assaults to theft.
Now, Reaves’ family is calling for tighter security at the bus station and stronger gun control laws.
“They need to have the same equipment that the airport has,”
Said Hightower.
“We’re losing. We’re not winning. That gun law is really destroying our communities.”
Reaves’ funeral is scheduled for Saturday, July 26. His children, family, and community are left to mourn — and to fight for the safer city he always believed was possible.
