Stone Mountain community reacts to shootings at DeKalb shopping center

Community calls for change after shopping center shootings

Five people were shot at the Stone Mountain shopping center in roughly 24 hours. Members of the community tell FOX 5's Alli Levine something has to change.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Five people were shot at a DeKalb County shopping center in 24 hours, but FOX 5 crews at the scene said it was pretty busy Sunday.

What we know:

Despite bullet holes in windows and doors, the restaurants and shops saw steady foot traffic.

There is a sign calling for the end of gun violence just feet from where the shootings took place.

Three people were injured Friday, one of them seriously, police said.

Related: 5 people injured after 2 shootings at a DeKalb County shopping center

Two people were injured on Saturday when someone shot into a restaurant. One woman was eating when she was grazed by a bullet, according to police.

Police did not say if the shootings were related. 

Police have not released the names of the victims or any potential suspects in either shooting. No charges have been announced.

Dig deeper:

This shooting was part of a trend in Stone Mountain. According to the most recent data from Nextdoor, Stone Mountain has a higher crime rate than the state and national average.

What they're saying:

On Sunday afternoon, the very restaurant where bullets landed the day before was busy with customers. 

"I do feel safe. The only time you don’t feel safe is when you hear two people yelling or you see a lot of commotion. Outside of that, we family, everybody’s family," Sade Thomas told FOX 5.

Thomas has lived in Stone Mountain on and off for nearly five years. 

Pamela Rachell has spent over four decades in the area and fears for her safety walking down the street. 

"I'm kind of tired. You can't go nowhere without somebody getting shot," Rachell said. 

Both women agree something needs to be done about gun violence in the community.

"I feel like times are different. Times have changed. People feel like they need to protect themselves more than ever... It’s okay to talk it out. People used to fight with their fists. Now everybody just goes to the guns. I think that needs to change," Thomas said. 

Meanwhile, Rachell begged people to, "put the guns down and y'all work together! Put the guns down, y'all. Please stop killing people."