Family friend speaks out on Mays High School teen killed after graduation party

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Bre’Asia Powell had her entire life still ahead of her.

“She was her mother’s first-born daughter, her mother’s princess of the castle. She was a scholar,” said Davida Huntley, a close family friend.

Powell was shot and killed just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning. According to Atlanta police and Atlanta Public Schools officials, the shooting took place at the exit driveway of Benjamin E. Mays High School in southwest Atlanta.

Another unidentified teen, a 16-year-old boy, was injured and taken to the hospital. Officials with Atlanta Public Schools said the shooting stemmed from a graduation party at a separate location. It was shut down hours earlier. Huntley said Powell was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Bre’Asia did absolutely nothing. Nothing to cause this. Being at that party was not a conduit to her death,” said Huntley.

The family said the Mays High School rising junior loved to play volleyball and she was about to take off. City and Atlanta public school leaders addressed the tragedy Sunday afternoon with heavy hearts.

“This young lady was full of life and was actually expected to be working for the city of Atlanta starting Tuesday in our summer youth employment program,” said Mayor Andre Dickens.

Ronald Tuck lives near the school. He said he had concerns before this happened.

“My prayer was literally, God help this city once the students are out of school because there are some that don’t have anything to do,” he said.

As police continue their investigation, Powell’s family and friends are hoping and praying for justice.

“Guns were in the hands of individuals that didn’t need to have them, that wanted to treat them like super soakers,” said Huntley.

If you have any information regarding this shooting, contact the Atlanta Police Department or Crime Stoppers.

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