2-year-old killed when shots are fired into Georgia apartment, cops say
.jpg "Georgia officials are investigating a shooting that left a 2-year-old dead and a 4-year-old hospitalized.")
Update: Three men have been arrested and charged in the July 17 shooting that killed a 2-year-old boy and wounded his 4-year-old brother, authorities in Georgia said.
The original story is below.
A shooting at an apartment complex left a one child dead and another hospitalized, Georgia officials said.
It happened at Deer Run Apartments on Lucas Road in Cochran, WXGA reported. The Bleckley County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call just after midnight July 17 about children with gunshot wounds, according to a news release.
When deputies got to the scene, they found a 2-year-old shot and killed, the sheriff’s office said.
A 4-year-old had also been shot and was transported to Atrium Health Navicent. The child is stable as of Monday, July 18, after undergoing surgery, according to the release.
The sheriff’s office is collaborating with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on the case.
The investigation is ongoing, but deputies said they have determined that the shots were not fired within the apartment.
The sheriff’s office has not released the official crime scene report.
In a press conference streamed by WMAZ, Maj. Daniel Cape told news outlets that authorities believe the shooting was targeted at someone in the area, but the two victims were not the intended targets. No suspects have been identified yet.
“This is priority number one,” Cape said. “We will work and work and work until someone is brought to justice for this heinous crime.”
Authorities are offering a $6,000 reward for any tips that lead to a conviction, according to Cape.
“It’s heart wrenching,” Cape said. “I’ve been here 21 years and never have experienced anything like this first hand.”
Bleckley County is 120 miles southeast of Atlanta.
“Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Lt. Jeff Simpson of the Bleckley County Sheriff’s Office at 478-934-4545 or the GBI Eastman Office at 478-374-6988,” the sheriff’s office said. “Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.”
This story was originally published July 18, 2022 at 5:56 PM with the headline "2-year-old killed when shots are fired into Georgia apartment, cops say."
