On Friday night, a shooting occurred at a Shell gas station in Columbus, Georgia, and a group of individuals including nine children were injured.
Among the injured were a preteen and a 5-year-old boy.
The Columbus police received a dispatch call shortly after 10 p.m. and arrived at the scene where they witnessed the group of individuals, including the nine victims.
Thankfully, none of the injuries were life-threatening, and the victims are receiving medical treatment.
Columbia Police Chief Freddie Blackmon stated at a news conference on Saturday morning that their initial investigation revealed an altercation occurred at a party in close proximity to the gas station.
The party may have taken place in a nearby warehouse location, and the altercation spilled over to the gas station area.
Chief Blackmon provided limited details on the ongoing investigation, stating that they are still gathering information to determine the exact sequence of events and the number of individuals involved.
The victims’ ages were previously reported to range from 5 to 17 years old.
- Male, 5
- Male, 12
- Female, 13
- Female, 13
- Male, 13
- Male, 14
- Male, 15
- Male, 15
- Male, 17
According to Chief Blackmon, four of the children who were injured had already been discharged from local medical facilities by Saturday morning.
Prior to the news conference, he issued a statement condemning the recent spate of gun violence affecting children throughout the United States.
He acknowledged that Columbus has also experienced such incidents but reassured citizens that the Columbus Police Department (CPD) is working tirelessly to remove violent offenders from the streets.
He emphasized that addressing gun violence in the city requires a joint effort from the community, and that incidents like this affect everyone.
The Robbery and Assault Unit of the CPD is currently handling the investigation, and as of Saturday morning, no arrests had been made.
Anyone with information is urged to call Det. E. Rosado at 706-225-3162.
