Within the span of nearly six hours, two teenagers were injured in separate shootings in two metro Atlanta counties. They are the latest victims in a rash of shootings involving youths in the area.
The first happened around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at a skating rink in Clayton County. Police said they responded to Amish Court regarding a 14-year-old who had been shot in the chest, shoulder and forearm. Officials said they were able to determine the gunfire occurred at Skate Zone along Mount Zion Boulevard near I-75.
According to a 911 caller, she dropped off the teen and two others at the rink around 6:30 p.m. About two hours later, when another person went to pick up the children, “unknown suspects” opened fire on the car, police said.
The vehicle was hit in several spots, and the driver and three juveniles fled the area to Amish Court, police said.
When officers arrived at the shooting location, they said a “large group of juveniles” was in the parking lot. Additional officers had to respond to assist with crowd control.
Authorities said a suspect, who was not publicly identified, was arrested after a pursuit near a wooded area along Maddox Road, which is a short walk from the skating rink.
As Clayton police wrapped up that scene, DeKalb County officers began investigating a separate shooting involving a teenager.
In a residential area in the 2300 block of Briar Knoll Road, police said a teen was shot around 2:20 a.m. Thursday. The subdivision is right off Covington Highway.
The victim, whose name and age were not released, was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Officials said they are investigating the possibility that a fight led to the shooting. Police confirmed there were no other injuries.
No information was released about the shooter.
At least three other children were caught in the middle of gunfire recently in metro Atlanta.
On Sunday, Smyrna police said a 6-year-old was shot when gunfire erupted between two vehicles in the area of Campbell and Spring roads. Two men, Craig Radford Calhoun and Eric Allen Rushi, were charged.
On June 13, a man was arrested after killing his estranged wife and his 7-year-old niece at a DeKalb apartment complex, authorities said. The victims were identified as Tomika Pullins, 29, and Dior Scott.
According to witnesses, police said the suspect, William Lewis Almond, was attempting to get into the apartment. He eventually broke a window and fired multiple rounds, officials said.
In southwest Atlanta, a 12-year-old boy was killed June 12 in a drive-by shooting at an apartment complex in the 3200 block of Cushman Circle. One suspect, identified by police as Michael Darnell, has been arrested in the death of Ja’Nylen Amir Greggs, but officials are now offering $15,000 for information leading to the arrests and convictions of others responsible in the incident.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said Wednesday during a news conference with Atlanta police that Greggs was playing outside when he was shot.
“He was caught in the crossfire of an incident that was happening nearby while he was playing basketball,” Dickens said. “We never want that to happen. We never want any of our young people to feel afraid to go anywhere — a park, a recreation center, outside.”
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