A 16-year-old boy was shot and killed in his own home in Georgia after being mistaken for an intruder by another occupant, according to statements from law enforcement.
The incident occurred shortly before 3:30 a.m. on September 1, as reported by the Atlanta Police Department. Authorities told WSB-TV that the teenager had returned home late that night.
“The 16-year-old lived here,” Lt. Andrew Smith told Atlanta News First. “An occupant of the home thought that he was breaking in and was an intruder and opened fire. So again, a real tragedy as we work through this.”
Smith also stated to WSB-TV that the shooter was the teen’s mother’s partner. McClatchy News has reached out to police to confirm the identity of the suspected shooter.
When medical personnel arrived at the scene, they found the boy with gunshot wounds and pronounced him dead, according to Atlanta police.
Investigators said that the person suspected of firing the shots left the residence before law enforcement officers arrived, as reported by Atlanta News First.
