LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Across the street from an existing and weathered memorial at 26th and Broadway sits a new one, remembering a man killed over the weekend.
"I couldn't believe it," Billy McAtee said Sunday afternoon. "It was like, this is real? Man, my brother is really gone."
Billy McAtee said he was shocked to learn his brother, Marvin McAtee, was shot and killed near Dino's Food Mart early Saturday morning.
On Sept. 19, Louisville Metro Police (LMPD) said two victims were found in the 2600 block of West Broadway with gunshot wounds around 1:15 a.m. One of the men was taken to University Hospital and is expected to be okay. The other, Marvin McAtee, was killed.
"He didn't deserve this," Billy McAtee said. "My brother was a good man. He got a good heart. He'll do anything for you, for his kids, family. That's just the way he lived his life."
"A legend," in his brother's eyes, Billy McAtee said Marvin was loved by everyone. His brother's death also added to the pain already felt by the loss of their uncle, David McAtee. David McAtee, a well-known business owner of YaYa's BBQ, was shot and killed in June.
State officials said David died from a single gunshot by a Kentucky National Guard member, after they, along with LMPD, were called to Dino's Food Mart to disperse a crowd. Officials said McAtee shot first while standing in the doorway of his business. McAtee's family attorney has disputed that.
Billy McAtee said his brother Marvin took over helping with the BBQ business after his uncle's death.
"All he wanted to do was take care of this building, take care of his kids and his family and everyone out here in the community who was by his side," Billy McAtee said. "He knew that if he pushed harder, he'll make my uncle happy. David McAtee. And it's hard on all of us though and we're all lost right now."
According to Billy McAtee, the family plans to continue their loved ones' legacies by operating the business.
"We gonna stay here in this building and we're going to keep selling food. We're going nowhere," he said. "My uncle ain't ever let this place down. My brother never let this place down. I'm never gonna let this place down."
Billy McAtee said he wants the community to still feel safe going to YaYa's BBQ. He said Marvin always wanted others to come there to "have a good time."
"We don't want everybody to think this is a bad place to come to. We want everybody to know that this really is a good place. We've just got bad folks out here doing the wrong things," he said.
But, he pleaded and begged for the community to stop the violence.
"When you kill someone you're hurting everybody," he said. "Folks on the street, stop it. It's got to end somehow, it's got to end. There's got to be a better way."
Monday, LMPD said they don't have a suspect in the homicide and release grainy photos of a person on interest in the investigation.
"To the person that did kill my brother, I know you see me. I hope you see me," he said. "You took a good man. A good man who was helping out the whole city. He would've helped you out."
"Anybody will tell you, a smile on his face. It doesn't matter if he's down, he's still gonna have a smile on his face. And when he died, I know he died with a smile on his face and I want you to understand that," he added, still speaking directly to whoever is behind his brother's shooting.
Billy McAtee said he wants to see justice for both his brother and uncle, but until then, he said his family will remain strong.
"We're gonna make it through this and we gonna keep pushing," he said. "We're going to succeed. That's what they want. That's what my brother, my uncle want - everybody to succeed. We're going to make sure it happens for them."
The LMPD Homicide Unit is handling the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the anonymous Crime Tip Hotline at 502-574-LMLPD (5673).
Contact reporter Tyler Emery at temery@WHAS11.com. Follow her on Twitter (@TylerWHAS11) and Facebook.
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