VALDOSTA – The Valdosta Police Department has arrested three juveniles for a shooting incident that injured a 14-year-old male.
Release:
Arrested 1: Juvenile male 16 years of age, Valdosta resident
Arrested 2: Juvenile male 16 years of age, Valdosta resident
Arrested 3: Juvenile male 14 years of age, Valdosta resident
On Sunday, October 20, 2024, at approximately 4:50 pm., Valdosta Police Officers, along with Valdosta Fire Department and South Georgia Emergency Services, responded to a residence in the 600 block of Pineview Drive after a call was received at the E911 Center that a 14-year-old male had been shot. When officers arrived at the residence, they found that the 14-year-old had a gunshot wound to his arm. Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene and transported the male to South Georgia Medical Center, for a non-life-threatening injury.
Valdosta Police Department Detectives and Crime Scene Personnel responded and began investigating the incident. Detectives received several stories as to what had occurred. Through a thorough investigation, detectives determined that the 14-year-old, along with two 16-year-old males, were in a bedroom playing with a handgun, when it accidentally went off, striking the 14-year-old in the arm.
One of the 16-year-olds grabbed the gun and fled the scene, discarding the firearm at another location. A Valdosta Police Department K9 Unit began to look for the hidden firearm, locating it in a creek. The gun was reported stolen through another jurisdiction.
Detectives have charged both 16-year-old males, along with the 14-year-old male, with theft by receiving stolen property (felony), reckless conduct (misdemeanor), and possession of a firearm by a person under 18 years of age (misdemeanor). One of the 16-year-olds also received the charge of tampering with evidence (felony).
The Department of Juvenile Justice was contacted, and the two 16-year-olds were detained at a Regional Youth Detention Center. The 14-year-old was treated and released from SGMC.
“With three juveniles playing with a stolen firearm, inside of a residence, we are extremely fortunate that we did not have anyone more seriously injured. Our detectives did an outstanding job identifying the false stories, and continued to investigate, resulting in the recovery of the gun which could have been found by another child.” Said Chief Leslie Manahan.
If anyone has any further information on this case or any other cases, please contact the Valdosta Police Department Bureau of Investigative Services at 229-293-3145, the crime tip line at 229-293-3091, or file a tip online at www.valdostacity.com/police-department.
