Atlanta Double Murders: No Arrests; Father Denies Son Attended Pride

There are new developments in the gruesome Atlanta double murder Sunday night. Twenty-one-year-old Samuel Blizzard Jr. and 26-year-old Calvin Streater were shot execution-style in a Southeast Atlanta apartment. Streater lived in Atlanta and Blizzard was a Georgia State University student from Virginia. Both men attended Black Gay Pride events over the weekend, police say.

So far, police have no motive or suspects. The father of Samuel Blizzard Jr. says the apartment belonged to a family member and denies his son would have anything would have anything to do with Black Gay Pride, reports Richmond's CBS 6.

[Blizzard's] father tells CBS 6 that his son was found shot execution style. Sam Jr., known to friends and family members as Fatty, was a former Prince George High School football player, and was active in his hometown church. His father says that he recently transferred from Tidewater Community College to George State University, where he was pursuing a law degree. His father says that the apartment he was found murdered in belonged to his cousin. Another man, Calvin Streater, was also found shot to death inside the apartment. Investigators say the two men were in town for a Black Gay Pride festival, a claim that Fatty's father denies.

Atlanta Police Department spokesman Carlos Campos confirms both men were apparently gay. "We have learned in fact they attended some Black Gay Pride activity that day," Campos told the Georgia Voice said. "There is no evidence the shooting deaths had anything to do with the fact the men were at a gay event," he said and added there was no evidence this "was a bias crime."

The shootings happened at The Station at Richmond Hill, which is a gated complex. Police stress there was "no sign of forced entry" and apparently the victims knew the assailants.

Friends are already leaving messages on Calvin Streater's Facebook. Streater's last entries were on the morning of September 1. "Thinking about taking a trip to New Jersey," Streater said.

The double murders are the second and third homicides with a connection to Atlanta's Black Gay Pride in the past 10 days. Traxx co-owner Durand Robinson was gunned down in an apparent carjacking on August 25. There are still no arrests.

More as this develops ...

Comments

[Faison]

This is horrible. I hope they find these evil men wo did this.

[Q]

Yep, I can imagine living in Virginia, hearing that is son was gay on tv is NOT making this any better.

[icraig]

Sounds like dad is in denial - so was my father. I was captain of the football team!

[kirk]

Even in death "we" are not free to be who we are - were. So very sad for Samuel Blizzard Sr, he could be learning about his son and making a difference rather than being in denial.

[Black Pegasus]

What the hell is going on in Atlanta?

All of these "execution style" killings are alarming! And apparently, these killers knew their victims; which makes this all the more disturbing...

We need to do better!

If we can't gather with our Gay Brothers and Sisters and feel safe, then what's the damn point!!?

[Jacob]

We always hear that its not a hate crime when in actuality it was/is. I think the family might not want it classified as a hate crime because than it would out their love one.

[MEME]

RIP CALVIN STREATER, YOUR FAMILY WILL ALWAYS MISS YOU. LOVE YA!!!!

[Trey]

I think this is disturbing. It seems like every year, people are killed at Atlanta Pride. That's a problem!

[Fred]

Well we aren't sure if this was a hate crime. It could have been drug related. I am just heartbroken for their families.

[Honut Sinti]

Sad to hear the news about the killing of these two young men.

I wonder since the apartment belonged to a family member (cousin), and that it was reported that there was no forced entry, it begs the question as to whether the murderers were acquaintances who had not previously revealed their unsavory character.

[Rhode York]

Why do the reports say "they were in town for Pride" when in fact they lived in Atlanta (GSU is in downtown Atlanta)? The reports should say that they attended Pride. They already lived in Atlanta. It's simply misleading.

I feel sorry for the families of these two young men. It's also too bad that the dad is looking like a clueless man right now. I bet a lot of friends and family knew the young man was gay. He clearly wasn't in the know, or didn't CARE TO BE in the know.

Regardless, two men have lost their lives. This if very sad news.

[Henrik]

Very sad news. I hope they find these punks. Prayers.

[elihue]

I grew up with Calvin. I can care less about the gay ish..its the point that somebody killed him.. The devil is running crazy..

[Cocoa Rican]

As a parent, I'm saddened to hear that the father's focus has turned to defending his son's hetero status. I guess what pains me most when I hear this is that being gay trumps the negative connotations that can/may become apparent as the crime is investigated. It reminds me of a heated argument with my parents when I was a teen where I yelled and told my parents "I'm gay...would you rather I was a murderer!" and my mom said, "You know, I'd rather you were a murderer..."

Really, I'm not angry at the dad...I'm just saddened.

[Nathan James]

@CocoaRican At least I'm not the ONLY one who's heard people say they wish their kids weren't gay. I had a boss once (who didn't know I was gay), who, upon the birth of his son, had this exchange with me:

BOSS: "I couldn't deal with it if my son turned out to be gay"

ME: "Surely there are worse things for your son to be...what if he were a drug dealer or bank robber?"

BOSS: "I'd rather my son be those things than a gay man."

Needless to say, it wasn't long before I left that job. I couldn't abide working for a boss with that kind of hostility towards gays. I do shudder with fear for the man's son, however, should he, in fact, discover he is attracted to men years from now. Coming out to his father will be a train wreck.

Attitudes like your mother's, my boss's, and Blizzard's father are far too prevalent among people of color, and it's a problem that has persisted for far too long.

I only wish I had (then) had the courage to tell my boss "I'm gay, and your attitude towards me and those like me makes me sick to my stomach. I quit." I did quit a few weeks after our conversation, but alas, he never knew why.

[Rickey]

We gone miss u calvin here in NC, u touched so many lives in ur 26 years. The family will be strong. We will all be at the funeral Saturday to not say goodbye, but see u later. Love you man.

[lightskinbruh]

@ Nathan James
I wanted to bring my boyfriend (under the guise of my roomate...for the sake of my younger sibilings) and my mom flipped and told me "I dont want you to bring no one home. What about your sister? What will she say? I dont want her exposed to this! I rather you bring home tons of babies out of wedlock or be the biggest straight male hoe than to be gay...please dont do this" I was like " Are you serious Ma?"

Needless to say we did not talk for 3 months until she got over that foolishness she was talking. Pains me that I can go home with my lover to his moms house but I cant bring him home with me. Mother is so still in denial that I'm a gay man.

"Uneducated Parents" are something else.

[D.bARR]

This is very sad.......

[Kevin Perez]

Two gay men in a consenual relationship, who deeply love each other, are equated to murders, drug dealers, and out having out of wed-lock children. Yet, there are people who do exactly that and are not scrutinized. It really just exposes how the hypocrasy in communities of color. That PC crap about "being not different than other groups" is pure BS.

The Black and Latino communties have their head up their asses and priorities some where else. It's wrong for society to continue maintaining and praticing social conservativism toward the issue of race and it's okay for communities of color to LEECH on their own social conservatism on LGBT matters.

Sorry, it doesn't go both ways.

[Leevarshay Barton]

calvin man RIP! I went to school with Calvin he was awesome very well liked. I will miss you man.

[Fred]

Wow i jus met yu a month or so ago Calvin, but yu was real cool, yu made my visit to NC great. R.I.P bru, yu will be misses!

[Hass]

Its vry sad...i know calvin he was cool guy and likable by all of us.
Hope they catch the killer.
You will be missed Calvin and Samuel.