Local

Shootout leaves child injured, more than 50 bullet casings in street

ATLANTA — Two men are wanted after a shootout left a 7-year-old boy injured and a northwest Atlanta neighborhood littered with more than 50 bullet casings.

Police told Channel 2 Action News the men have connections to the boy's sister: One is her current boyfriend, and the other is the father of her child.

“The shooters ... were in dispute with each other,” Atlanta police Officer Donald Hannah said.

The father, identified by police as Terquarius Mender, was visiting his child Thursday night. At some point, the new boyfriend, only identified as Lee, came to the home in the 600 block of Charlotte Place.

The 7-year-old was struck by a bullet in the right elbow.

A witness who asked Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes not to name her said she was terrified by what she heard.

"I was just laying in my bed and just heard a lot of gunshots. I heard a car skeet off and go one way and then turn around come back the other."

Bystander Larry Travis lives in Stone Mountain, but was in the area at the time of the shooting and took off running to a nearby yard, according to an Atlanta police report.

A man in a brown leather jacket came out of nearby woods and fired at him, hitting him in the back and grazing him in the head, he told police.


TRENDING STORIES:


“It is undetermined if Travis had any connections to this incident,” police said in the report.

Travis and the 7-year-old were alert when they were taken to local hospitals. Travis was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. The 7-year-old was taken to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

Police found an assault rifle on the scene near a blue 2013 Dodge Challenger with a shattered window, according to the report.

“At this time, investigators are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting and to locate the shooters,” Hannah said.

Anyone with information about the men is asked to contact Atlanta police.

Tipsters can remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000 by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting  crimestoppersatlanta.org.