Georgia Teen Shot, Killed Outside Own Barbershop, Family Says

Relatives of a 17-year-old Georgia boy who was shot and killed outside of a barbershop Saturday afternoon have identified the victim as Anthony “China” McClain, who owned Da Barbas’ Lab, according to reports.

Officers with the Clayton County Police Department responded to the 5400 block of West Fayetteville Road in College Park at 4:16 p.m. Saturday after receiving a report of a shooting victim, the CCPD said in a release Saturday night. The victim, who police said was found dead in the River Station Shopping Center parking lot, was identified by relatives as McClain, CBS 46 reported.

Family says the victim was only 17 years old. They say he was standing outside of the barbershop where he worked when he was hit by a stray bullet @cbs46 https://t.co/DMilwhvuai

— Jasmina Alston (@JasminaAlstonTV) April 3, 2022

Police said an altercation had ensued in the parking lot when gunshots began to ring out, WSBTV reported. McClain’s mother, Nora Huff, told the outlet that he was walking out of the shop when he was struck. She noted that he was an innocent bystander.

“I’m almost 99% sure that he went outside to give me a call to tell me that something was going on,” Huff told the outlet. She added that she had been at the shop for much of the day, and left only moments before she received a fateful phone call. 

“The first call was from one of my barbers. He told me that something tragic had happened in the shop, and that I needed to get here,” she told WSBTV. 

On her way back to Da Barbas’ Lab, she received another call. 

“I said, ‘Please tell me, is it my child? He said ‘Yes it is,'” Huff added.

 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted that no arrests had been made as of Monday. 

Huff told 11Alive that she transferred the business to her son in January. 

On Sunday, she visited the barbershop and met with those in the community grieving her son’s death, the outlet noted. A coworker of McClain’s set up a vigil for the teen outside of the business, including candles and a teddy bear. 

Lashawn Hood, who identified herself as McClain’s cousin, painted the picture of a highly ambitious young man when she spoke to CBS 46 on Saturday:

Very motivated. Like this morning, he went and worked out this morning at the gym and came to work, and now, he’s no longer with us due to gun violence. He was a very helpful child, loved his parents, loved his brothers and just, very motivated and just a good kid.

Huff told 11Alive that Da Barbas’ Lab was one of two businesses her son owned, noting he recently set up an LLC for his organic juice company. 

“He said because we deserved that on the south side, you shouldn’t just be able to go to Buckhead to have a come in to shop…So he did. He did it all,” Huff said.