A crowd of more than 600 marched quietly through downtown Macon Thursday.

They were calling for peace following the murders of three Indian convenience store workers in Middle Georgia.

Members of the newly formed Middle Georgia Asian-American Community Association organized the event.

The Indian community is still reeling following the recent shooting deaths of three convenience store workers, all named Patel, in three separate crimes - two in Macon and one in Milledgeville.

The march preceded a funeral for 29-year-old Dipak Patel, who was allegedly killed by a 16-year-old during an armed robbery.

Convenience store employees came from several Georgia counties.

According to the Telegraph, many Indian-run stores were closed for the event.

Macon’s Mayor, Robert Reichert, as well as the city’s police chief, addressed the crowd and promised to work with them to increase security and train employees on how to stay safe.

Tags: Macon, murder, middle Georgia, Robert Reichert, Middle Georgia Asian-American Community Association, Indian, Patel, convenience store