DeKalb County

Toddler gunned down in drive-by shooting in southeast Atlanta

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Police are investigating a drive-by shooting that left a 3-year-old boy dead in DeKalb County.

“She saw somebody who was pointing what appeared to be a paintball gun at her vehicle and she heard a real gunshot,” DeKalb County Police Chief James Conroy said.

Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes spoke to the child's mother at the intersection where it happened.

Rashonda Craig said it all seems like a nightmare.

"I didn’t know my baby was shot, I’m thinking he just woke up. The gunshot scared him," she said.

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She said she was driving on Bouldercrest Road in southeast Atlanta around 11:30 p.m. Sunday.

When she was crossing Eastland Road, she saw someone pull up in a gray Dodge Charger and point what she thought was a paintball gun at her vehicle.

That person fired a shot into her back seat where her son was sleeping in his car seat.

Less than a mile up the road, she realized he was hit. Medics took the child from the back seat and rushed him to the hospital, where he later died.

“My baby was sleeping, my baby was sleeping in the backseat when I saw the car come past, I saw a paintball gun but then I heard a real gun. When I heard the gunshot, my baby started crying. I didn't know my baby was shot,” Craig said.

Police said they are looking for a gray Dodge Charger with a temporary tag and are still trying to figure out the motive for the shooting.

Craig desperately hopes justice is served.

"Please tell me who did this to my baby. I want justice for my baby. My baby didn’t deserve this. Please help me," Craig said.