CHARLOTTE, N.C. — About 100 students at Northwest School of the Arts walked out of class in protest Wednesday in response to Monday's officer-involved shooting.
Students carried signs, raising their voices and calling for change.
Monday, a veteran CMPD officer shot and killed Danquoiors Franklin at the Burger King on Beatties Ford Road just down the street from that school.
Police say Franklin wouldn't put down his gun. In 911 calls, witnesses say he was threatening employees.
RELATED: Armed suspect dies after being shot by CMPD officer at north Charlotte Burger King, police say
There have been a handful of protests in Charlotte since the deadly shooting.
City Council Member Braxton Winston says one of the problems is that students don't have a voice at the table when policies that affect them are made. He wants to let them know he is listening.
"It can be very frustrating when decisions are constantly made for you and you have no input," Winston said.
Students spent more than an hour on school grounds supporting each other and raising their voices for a change they say must happen.
"Regardless of how you feel about the event, right or wrong, justified or not, these things have real traumas that affect so many different parts of our community," Winston said. "We have to learn how to not just deal with them but prevent those traumas from happening in the future."
Terece Hutchinson owns The Dooby Shop School of Cosmetology, also on Beatties Ford Road. She's been running the shop for 15 years. She planned a vigil for Wednesday night at 6 p.m.
She told NBC Charlotte most of her customers have commented on Monday's incident -- some angry, and some just sad.
"The family needs support," she said. "It's a sad thing; there's four children that were affected. There's counseling that needs to take place, there's therapy that needs to take place. So we're here to offer that support to the family and community tonight."
Wednesday night, the community gathered at the peace gathering at The Dooby Shop. They made a point to not discuss what they believe happened earlier this week, but rather to focus on supporting the community.
"Being a part of the change is what needs to happen from more business owners on this corner," Hutchinson said.
While not nearly as many people were here compared to Monday, it doesn't deter Hutchison.
"If we can change one, then that's all that matters," Hutchinson said.
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