Family planning balloon release for Mozley Park shooting victim

ATLANTA - A 27-year-old man was shot and killed after approaching a parked vehicle at Mozley Park Recreation Center, Atlanta police said.

What we know:

The shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. May 27 at Mozley Park. Atlanta Homicide Commander Andrew Smith said officers arrived to find the man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.

There was no indication of a gathering at the park when the shooting took place. 

"We believe the victim just happened to walk up to a vehicle and, for whatever reason, they opened fire," Smith said. He added that there had been no prior incidents at Mozley Park during his tenure.

Smith said the parks remained open until 11 p.m.

What we don't know:

Authorities do not yet have a description of the suspect or the vehicle involved. Smith said investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby cameras and will release additional information once it is available.

Police said they are unsure whether the shooting was random or if the individuals involved knew each other. 

"Obviously, if he approached the car, we would think that there was some sort of connection," Smith said, "but that’s still under investigation."

The investigation is ongoing.

Dig deeper:

Hours after the shooting, a fight broke out between a large group while police were still working at the scene.

"The large group that's here now - we don't think they were on the scene when the shooting happened," Smith said. "They came here afterwards."

Officials have not said if any arrests were made as a result of the fight. 

What's next:

The family of the victim is planning to hold a balloon release for the victim – whom they have identified as Zantrez Cummings – at 7 p.m. May 30 at the park. They are asking friends and family to bring purple balloons and candles.