to the cousin, go back to school and get an education. learn english and learn to spell first before you try and type. He deserves to be put in front of america and executed. OFF with His Head!!! ( punk ) and God bless his grandmother!

YOU CAN ALL SIT HERE AND MINCE WORDS BUT, KNOWONE KNEW ANTHONY, THIS YOUNGMAN LIVED IN MY HOUSE FOR THE LAST 1 1/2 YEARS WITH MY GRANDSON'S, MY BORTHER, AND, ME. HE WAS FUNNY, FUN LOVING AND ALWAYS JUST PLAIN OFF THE WALL SILLY. HE JUST WANTED LOVE AND, WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ANYONE BLACK, WHITE, PURPLE OR GREEN. HE DID NOT SEE COLOR. HE DID NOT BREAD HATE THERE WAS NEVER A MEAN BONE IN HIS BODY NEVER. HE WAS MY GRANDDAUGHTERS FIRST BOYFRIEND AND WE LOVED HIM. AND WHEN YOU READ THERE PEOPLE ARE DEBATING WHERTHER IS WAS A RACIAL ISSUE YOU KNOW THEY TRULY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT ANTHONY.

Is there racial tension in Atlanta? Yes take it from a native Atlantian in her mid fifties things have gotten worse. But, as someone committed most of all truly like each other. I think you have haterid in your heart if you truly make this a black withe issue. Anthony loved all people and if you knew anything about him you would know that. So please make this a life lesson as times are now we should not be alone if at all possible at night.

This is a time to rejoice Anthony and pray for all family members of both families. We have both lost our youngmen. Which in my opinion is the most tragic thing that has come out of this. I did not give birth to him but we had him as he was coming into the youngman he wanted to be. So please stop and think before you make this a race thing make it a learning experience a tragic on yes but, a lesson nonetheless.
and live by these words:
IF IT IS TO BE IT IS UP TO ME!!!
LOVE AND HAPPENESS TO ALL
NOW I WILL GO KISS MY GRANDSON'S AND CALL MY GRANDDAUGHTER

DNT ANY OF U KNOW WAT HAPPEN THIS IS MY COUSIN HE WS WRONG AND HE ADMITTED TO DA CRIME HE'S DOIN HIS TIME SO MIND YOUR FUCKIN BUSINESS...AND FOR BROKEN KEYBOARD MONEY AINT NEVA BEEN AN ISSUE SO MIND YA OWN YA DIGG FOR U TO UNDERSTAND WAT WENT ON U WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE THERE SO DNT BE SO QUICK TO FUCKIN JUDGE...YEA HE WAS WRONG...YEA IT WAS SENSELESS....YEA WE ALL KNOW DAT SO GET OVER IT I FEEL SORRY FOR THE YOUNG MAN WHO WAS KILLED CUZ HE AINT DESERVE IT AND IM SORRY FOR HIS FAMILY BUT IF U DNT KNOW WAT HAPPEN U CANT JUDGE SO FUCK OFF :) NOW HAVE A GOOD DAY

Yasmina,
I think your keyboard is broken! We are not insane, we are extremely frustrated at the constant violence.
I am curious how this guy could afford a gun, but couln't buy his own phone? Maybe everyone should replace their phone with a gun and these thugs might stop?

First of all, right on Doodad and lol @ TOWG!
Secondly...ARE YOU ALL INSANE? DO YOU NOT SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS MATTER HERE? IT'S NOT ABOUT BLACK-V-WHITE-HISPANIC-V-ASIAN-V- WHOMEVER! IT'S NOT ABOUT AL SHARPTON OR JESSE JACKSON'S VIEWS. IT'S ABOUT A SENSELESS CRIME THAT COST THE LIFE OF A YOUNG MAN WHO DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT TO HIS TWENTIES!!!!
IT'S ABOUT A ROBBER, ONLY 1 YEAR OLDER THAN HIS VICTIM, WHO WAS SO CAUGHT UP IN MATERIAL POSESSIONS THAT HE TOOK A LIFE OVER A CELL PHONE THAN WILL PROBABLY BE REPLACED BY MORE MEDIA GAGDETS IN THE NEXT YEAR ANYWAY!!!!!
PEOPLE LOOK AROUND YOU. WHAT ARE WE EXEMPLIFYING ON THIS FORUM....THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN'T EVEN COME TOGETHER IN TRAGEDIES!
STOP ARGUING AND PRAY FOR THE VICTIM'S FAMILY AND PRAY FOR THE SUSPECTS SOUL! NONE OF US HAVE A RIGHT TO JUDGE ANYONE ON THIS EARTH, FOR ALL OF OUR SINS ARE THE SAME IN GOD'S EYES.
I'M JUST GLAD THE SUSPECT WAS CAUGHT, WHICH COULD EASE THE MINDS OF THE FAMILY A LITTLE MORE THAN BEFORE.

@ Concerned...no race has the power to compel others of their race to behave a certain way. Again, the fact that you dissect this into a race issue speaks volumes about your racially biased thought process.

Do we motivate young people by telling them "you're scum and you belong to a race of thugs and scum"? Or do we instead focus on the things that we have in common and inspire these kids? I say the latter...

And again, you are repeating this tired line that somehow the black community accepts this type of violence which is just factually incorrect. The only way that someone would think that black people accept this type of violence is that they have little to NO involvement in the lives of black people.
It's laughable that people cite Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson as leaders of the black community. Again, anyone that KNOWS and has dealings with black people would know that most of us see Al and Jesse as the clowns that they are. Like white people, we are capable of thinking for ourselves and do not need someone to tell us when to march or how to feel about an issue.

You are right that racial cultures are different. All the more reason to EDUCATE yourself about what's really happening and stop relying on the media to give you your perspective.

@Steve

Do you live with your head in a hole somewhere??? Are you aware of the increasing number of hispanic and asian gangs in the Atlanta area alone? The level of ignorance down here simply amazes.

Sorry but RACE IS A FACOTOR here. True it all happned because of a cell phone. Just because this thug saw a phone that he liked an wanted even though it did not belong him he felt he had the right to stick his gun in someones face & take that phone.

Now as far as the race thing how many whties, latino's, asian do you hear about doing something like this? It's the mentality of SOME NOT ALL in the black comunity that they have a right to do crap like this. It's something that is only getting worse but you will never hear J, Jackson, A. Sharpton or any of the other black leaders come out & say it has to change & it has stop. IF this would have been white on black the streets would be packed with protest.

Dvon: Your inablility to realize that racial cultures are different is the reason this is never gonna get resolved. Change comes from within. Individual responsibility is absent in great numbers of the black community. Where is the outrage against this crime from the African American community. As great orgainzers, blacks should be able to to end this cultural divide swiftly, but as you are doing, there is always an excuse not to accept the truth.

kill that SOB like he killed someones friend, brother, son, boyfriend,and innocent life taken from us....you guys are right y do we have to pay for the bastard to live...what is that going to teach his ignorant ass...NOTHING...HE SHOULD DIE!!!

@Fran, no disrespect intended by this but do you really think the education system which has us failing as we attempt to compete in a global competitive economy was "dumbed down" to aid the so called lack of ability of black people??? You really jest.

You certainly have not ever cracked a book pertaining to the education system of this country. The system was only set to provide enough education to make you a good worker.

As well, when did black people ever rise up enough to be considered by those creating education standards? Traditionally, blacks don't vote so why would they be considered by those setting policy when policymakers only consider their constituency?

I guess when we feel because we have it made we forget about those of us who do not.

Do you realize the vast majority of our great state is white and yet we are one of the lowest-performing states in the country with regard to education? You see, we are quick to forget about the rural whites of our state until votes are needed.

Have we ever had a state superintendent of schools who was non-white? Have we ever had a U.S. Secretary of Education who was non-white? Was our No Child Left Behind program instituted by a non-white president?

I think you see what I'm getting at with this...we've failed ourselves and now we want to blame blacks for it. We failed them right along with ourselves in our schools. We're all failing together.

I digress...

I hate what happened at the East Point Train Station as much as anyone else but, no more than we want to accept the wretchedness and stupidity of some of our whites can we say all blacks are anything as a whole other than being black.

This racist crap gets us nowhere and it seems we're destined to stay right where we are because of it.

so what he didnt want to give up his phone.if someone came up to you and asked you for something that was yours and you told them no that is no reason to pull out a gun and kill some one....his death was senceless....everyone has something they are unwilling to give up...but that didnt mean you would have to die...anthony was kind to everyone he ever meet and everyone that knew him loved him...he will be missed...and keep his family in mind when you people say some of the things you say because you never know who is reading these things....no parent on this earth should have to bury their child...specially one as awesome as anthony.

Response to happhippy and DJ...
No where in my response did I advocate using the police power of government to spend money to solve problems or support affirmative action programs.
The point I am trying to make is that ‘these people’ that everyone feels so comfortable marginalizing are PEOPLE. It's easy to marginalize a group of people if you have no first hand contact with their situation. Obviously there is a criminal element in every group. What solution are we going to reach by saying “beware of black youth that look like thugs”? All that does is promote fear and plays on people racial bias.
My question is: What are YOU doing to make society better? Are you just sitting in your comfort zone all day banging together your gums, or do you actually get out and look into the faces of these people and understand that they are more like you than you realize?
All these people that say murder is acceptable in the black community obviously did not bother READING the article and seeing the suspect’s grandmother’s outrage at what he did. As a black person, I am outraged. It is beyond ignorant to take the position that somehow this is acceptable and speaks volumes about how disconnected you are from the people you feel so comfortable stepping on.
It is beyond ignorant to have the opinion that…”They don't care about higher education; if they do, they're trying to act "white". They don't care about attending college…” Not every black youth is a gang- banger and that fact would be clear to anyone who spent more than 2 seconds working with these kids. Many of them will go on to be successful despite where they started, but it doesn’t help when they are pre-judge based on the actions of someone else that they don’t even know.

I am so glad I have a 9MM undercover.
Yes, I have a license, know how to use it, and will blow away any perp. Yes, political correctness aside, it is an on going story of BLACK people's culture in general, ok only 99%, thinking I owe them something, or if I have something they want they can take it.

It is only going to stop when all the BLACK gansta thugs are eliminated and the hard working people can live without being in fear for their life.
Where is the pimp AL Sharpton or dirt bag Jessie Jackson now? Arm yourself citizens!

Another worthless black gangbanger thug that killed a productive member of society. What a shocker.

All over what? A stupid phone?

They should hot glue a touch phone to the jackass' face, ask him to remove it and give it to them. If he can't, shoot him. If he can successfully remove the phone hot-glued to his face, they should shoot him.

The punk should be executed.

Blacks kill each other, yet they continue to blame whitey for their problems. They live like this in 3rd world countries in Africa. Until the blacks in this country take responsibility for the behavior of their own instead of blaming whitey, this sort of behavior will continue. The race hoes such as Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Rev Wright have created this mentality. They've fomented the belief in blacks that whitey causes all your problems, so blacks don’t take responsibility for themselves. They're not intelligent enough as a whole to understand that they must be responsible to succeed in life. Whitey is not your problem. Blacks have the wrong attitude. I worked in education for 25 years. I saw it every day. Until this attitude changes, they will never succeed. Political correctness must end and we must face this fact!

I am in total agreement with most of you. This waste of flesh and oxygen consumer needs to be executed and executed quickly. He represents everything that is wrong with society.

You and I part ways when race is brought into it.

There are so many examples of atrocities committed by youth/people of white, black, asian, hispanic origin...every day.

Why is it always that race is brought up when things happen unless you are racist? Do you not realize that playing the race card does nothing but make us look stupid like some Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton?

If there's ever something to be gained by addressing the ills of our society it will not be gained taking that approach.

Now let's start talking about making prisons a hell on earth versus being a vacation for criminals.

Let's have a conversation about fixing the education system in this country. I bet you this nation's deficit that this criminal was identified as one with mental deficits by the 1st grade.

You want to talk about cleaning up the streets? There was this politician in South West Atlanta and he proposed this law that kids would have to pull their pants up.

Now it sounds pretty crazy but a law where youth and adults alike could be arrested and, if a youth, their parents fined, that was aimed at breaking part of this jailhouse culture that has run rampant in society was a great idea to me. They're going to let those pants sag to fit in. When they do it, they go to jail...get them off the streets.

So, where were we??? Oh no, we can't raise a stink over that because it was proposed by a black man. I bet you the scum who committed this heinous crime had his pants sagging.

If we could quit being so stupid and leave race off the table sometimes we might actually be able to address some issues in this country.

The news media has done a good job of highlighting the accomplishments of Anthony Beavers, a young man who was a benefit to society.
Why after 2 days has the media failed to chronicle Smith's accomplishments? How many prior arrests, high school dropout, sperm donor, etc.? Why is the media radio silent? Just wondering that maybe there is an attempt to cover for the court system here.

CRAP LIKE THIS HAPPENS & PEOPLE WONDER WHY RACISM IS ALIVE & KICKING. Some SORRY ASS THUG sees something he wants & decides he has the freakin right to just take it & when the victim refuses he pulls a gun & fires taking the life of a innocent person. Most not all seem to have no reguard for human life. Something has to be done in the black community to change the mind set of these thugs.

Why you don't ride MARTA....and exactly why we don't want MARTA extended further north.

What this kid did was disgusting, and like his grandmother said 'Anyone who would do this needs to be in jail...no matter who it is!'

I am appauled by the racially biased content being posted by some on this thread. It's easier to sit in judgement of a group of people, but doesn't the Bible that many of you claim to believe in so strongly say "judge not, lest ye be judged"? Whether you like it or not, God loves everyone the same and does not pass judgement on people because of how they dress, how they speak or what they look like.

It takes effort to go work at a The Atlanta Mission or at Atlanta Community Food Bank. It requires effort to go to a Habitat for Humanity Build or volunteer at Goodwill.

Rather than tear down a segment of society, do something to help build it up. Use the gifts that you have been blessed with to help make someone else's life better rather than being so quick to stereotype and judge.

Unfortunately, this is the culture the African American population is finding acceptable. Only they can stop this madness of "No snitching, pants on the ground, drop out of school, hate whitey" attitudes. It will remain this way until they find it unacceptable and want to be successful.

Just curious. We know what Grandma had to say, what did Mom & Dad have to say?
Or does this little dred head scum bucket know who his Mom and Dad are? Death penalty please, I volunteer to give the injections.

The mug shot looks like your typical hood rat or a nfl player?

Murdered by a punk thug!Look at his mug shot,head held high eyes squinted like he's proud.Let's hope this worthless piece of trash get's the death penalty.