Over the weekend, two Atlanta residents — 18-year-old Deshawn Johnson and Offenders Alumni Association leader Aaron Hines — were among five who were killed in gun violence incidents in the city. Both previously worked with the community-based Rocket Foundation, founded by the rapper Quavo in 2022 following the death of Migos member Takeoff. In response to the recent shootings and fatalities, Quavo and the Rocket Foundation have launched an emergency trauma therapy fund.
Proceeds from the Therapy Support Fund will benefit young people and families impacted by local gun violence by providing mental health resources. The non-profit is accepting donations.
“The Rocket Foundation is committed to providing real time support for the mental health needs of impacted families and youth,” a statement about the fund reads. “This fund will provide trauma expert therapeutic services for children and families and support grantee organizations- Hope Hustlers and Offenders Alumni, who are leading frontline community violence intervention efforts to end the cycle of violence, and offer ongoing mentorship and support in affected neighborhoods.”
Johnson attended the foundation’s Rocket Camp as a youth camper in 2024. Multiple others were struck and hospitalized in the shooting, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Police are investigating the incident, along with others in the area, but have not made any arrests. According to Atlanta Police Captain Jeff Childers, more than 100 shell casings were found at the scene.
Hines — also known as Coach Ball — was the recipient of a grant from the Rocket Foundation. A local youth football coach, Hines was honored by hundreds of athletes at a vigil earlier this week. Authorities arrested a 36-year-old man in connection with the murder. “What he preached for was peace and blessings. So it’s like, stop, gun violence and all. That wasn’t supposed to happen,” Fox 5 Atlanta reports having heard at the gathering.
Last year, Quavo spoke with Rolling Stone about the importance of the Rocket Foundation. “This is a huge problem in our community, in our culture, gun violence. And just being a victim, of course, it’s so personal to me,” he said. The artist described the Rocket Camp that Johnson attended as “a 10-week summer Rocket camp, violent intervention program to just start off with the younger generation and get they mindset on a positive type of time.”
“When I grew up, I went to camp, that’s where I learned how to swim, that’s where I learned how to play football, that’s where I learned how to get along with other people,” he said. “But now I watched my basketball goal be taken down in the community, I watched my programs be not funded and just ran out of money because the parents was running it and they had no plug or no government official, nobody who just funded them every month or funding them every year regardless of the fact that we don’t have the families that make enough money to keep these programs running. So that’s what the Rocket Foundation is about.”
