11-05-2025
One year later: Memorial held for Stockton May Day mass shooting victims
STOCKTON, Ala. (WKRG) — As this weekend marks one year since the May Day mass shooting, the community of Stockton gathered for a memorial Saturday to remember the lives lost.
On May 11, 2024, multiple gunshots rang out at a May Day celebration around midnight on Bryant's Landing Road in Stockton.
The shooting injured over a dozen people, and killed three individuals: Michael Anderson Jr., Chequita Ewing, and Christian Bradley.
Friends and family came together to pay their respects at the same field where tragedy struck a year ago.
'This is something we do every time our loved one[s] pass away,' event organizer Chanequa Gray said. 'So, we'll all get together, do a candlelight, and a balloon release.'
'We just decided to do it here, you know, where the three victims lost their lives. So that was our way of honoring them,' she continued.
During the memorial, Pastor Lelsie Williams led the balloon release with scripture and a prayer.
'It was a big loss for us,' Pastor Williams said. 'Surprising, because normally our community, it's a small community, and people get together, and we come out and have a good time so it was a tragedy.'
From this tragedy, however, the pastor said greater things may soon to come.
'I believe that this community is really resilient and strong, and we're going to bounce back from this,' Williams said. 'We're here today to gain strength from one another, and we're just believing for brighter days in our future.'
Starting next year, Pastor Williams hopes to see May Day celebrations return and be more family friendly.
For now, the Stockton community continues to heal.
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