Atlanta

14-year-old shot along busy southwest Atlanta street

ATLANTA — A 14-year-old boy is in critical condition after he was shot while walking along a busy southwest Atlanta street.

Police say the boy was on Metropolitan Parkway Saturday around 4 p.m. when a man walked up and shot him in the stomach.

“I heard someone say, ‘No, no, no!’ Then I heard a gunshot,” a witness said.

The witness, who did not want to be identified, lives in the Central City Condos and said he was taking a nap when he heard the screaming followed by gunshots.

Witnesses said they saw the shooter wielding his gun while trailing behind the boy as he looked for help.

Police said when the gunman realized he had been spotted, he tucked his gun away and ran off.

The boy was taken to Grady Hospital, where he remains Monday night.

“It’s a sad thing for a kid to get shot like that,” the witness said.

Neighbors said they wonder if the shooting is a sign of the times.

"Just seems like the younger generation don't have much respect for other people," the witness said.

Police are investigating the incident and searching for the shooter.