DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County Police announced a suspect Friday in the shooting at a gas station that left a good Samaritan and father of three dead. This comes on the day that good Samaritan's family held his funeral.
36-year-old Demario Parrish was killed last week while trying to break up an argument at the Chevron gas station on Candler Road in Decatur. The incident was all captured on security cameras.
Parrish's family and county leaders are hoping to prevent more senseless deaths like his.
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“He was a loving kind of guy, overprotective of his mother, sisters and his family. No matter what, he was always going to protect you from whatever situation you were in," said Angela Phillips, Parrish's mother.
His protectiveness led him to step in a situation at the gas station when he saw a woman and man fighting.
“When I saw it on TV, first thing I said, 'Well, why did he have to shoot him?'” Phillips said.
Parrish's protectiveness over a stranger at a gas station and a man's reaction to that led to his death.
“He's a father of three daughters, which he left behind, and this was just a sudden act that happened overnight that we are still trying to believe it happened," Phillips said.
His three little girls are now left without a father.
“We’re still in disbelief. We haven't even thought that far and him being gone so soon at such a young age," said Raven Phillips Smith, Parrish's aunt.
“I want everybody to remember Demario’s smile. It was a big smile. He was very loving. He never missed a hug from anybody," said Charnese Rice, Parrish's cousin.
DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson is proposing a new video surveillance system mandate to address concerns about violence at gas stations.
The ordinance would extend to monitored businesses who have more than three calls for police service within 30 consecutive days or a retail establishment where a serious crime took place. Crimes such as murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, child molestation, aggravated sodomy, aggravated sexual battery, and others fall under the umbrella.
"I just want all of the residents of DeKalb to know that we take public safety seriously," said Cochran-Johnson. "I personally will not have a DeKalb County resident fearful to visit a gas or service station or any business in DeKalb County."
The Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee will hear the proposal again on August 4. Cochran-Johnson told 11Alive she is optimistic that DeKalb residents will have a new ordinance to help with curbing crime soon.