Teenage restaurant worker killed on the job in Dekalb County, shooter on the run

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A 16-year-old male suffered ‘life-threatening injuries’ in a shooting at a DeKalb County IHOP on Saturday morning, according to police.

DeKalb County police responded to the IHOP on Panola Road in Lithonia in reference to a person shot.

When officers arrived, they found a 16-year-old with a gunshot wound to the head. Officers told Channel 2 Action News the victim later died.

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The shooting happened just before noon, according to police.

Police said their initial information indicated that the victim and the suspect knew each other and had been ‘engaged in an ongoing dispute’.

Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco spoke with Christina Xivir, the general manager of the IHOP who said she and the rest of the staff are ‘devastated.’

“We are currently working with local authorities to piece together the events that unfolded at our Lithonia-based IHOP at this time our priority is taking care of the team members who were impacted,” Xivir said.

Xivir said counseling will be made available to team members.

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Police did not confirm whether a suspect was arrested.

The unidentified victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment. He later died from his injuries, according to a DeKalb County Police Department spokesman.

People at neighboring restaurants and shops heard people crying out for help.

Locals like Trevarius Worthy told Channel 2 Action News he’ll be praying for those hurt. He had this to say to the shooter as he remained on the run: “Turn yourself in. Turn yourself in. It gets worse the longer you run.”

By Saturday evening, police had not released the name of the person killed or the suspected shooter.

The IHOP on Panola Rd. will remain closed Sunday after someone shot a 16-year-old employee there, according to the franchise owner.

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