Police: Teen skipping school shot by mistake

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County police chief said a teen shot by a police officer Tuesday, was shot by mistake.

The shooting happened after a woman hid in a closet during a home invasion and burglary. The robbers fled the home and a 16-year-old was shot as police tried to track down the robbers.

Chief Cedric Alexander said the person who was shot had nothing to do with the burglary, but was a student who was skipping school.

The incident started Tuesday afternoon when police said burglars broke into a home on Leisure Springs Circle.

A woman who lives there was home at the time and had to barricade herself in a room and call 911.

She also managed to call her husband who raced home hoping that she wouldn't cross paths with the burglars.

At one point, as the woman hid in the closet, a burglar entered that same closet to hide from the police -- he just didn't see her.

Police swept the home and found two people in the attic. A K-9 officer fired on a third person about a mile away in what the police chief said was an unintentional discharge when the officer encountered him in a shed.

WSBTV