A teen boy, 14, was arrested for murder Sunday in connection with the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old boy that took place inside a southeast Atlanta home.
The Atlanta Police Department (APD) said homicide detectives obtained an arrest warrant Sunday for the juvenile suspect in the shooting. Authorities said the teen was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Metro Youth Detention Center.
"Public safety is our paramount concern for juveniles," APD Capt. Germain Dearlove told Fox 5 Atlanta, urging adults to keep weapons locked up and out of reach of children and teens.
"For parents and guardians, check your home, make sure these weapons are secured. If they have friends over, don't let them close that door, check on them, do periodic updates."
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The shooting happened Saturday, when officers were dispatched around 1:49 p.m. ET to a report of a person shot at the residence.
When officers arrived, they found a 12-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a hospital in critical condition but later died despite life-saving efforts, police said.
Investigators said the shooting took place inside the home. Police have not publicly said what led to the gunfire, and the names of the juveniles have not been released.
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"This neighborhood is pretty peaceful most of the time," longtime neighbor Michael Dennis told Fox 5. "Every now and then we may hear something. I encourage family: Stick together, love one another, hug one another. This is a space in life where everybody needs to just come together."
Police told local WSB-TV 2 that the boys were playing with guns in a bedroom when the 12-year-old was shot.
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Earlier in the week, another neighbor, asking not to be identified, told channel 2 that he called police when he saw young boys getting into shootouts.
"Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, around the same time, kids would come by my house, duck behind the church and just shoot," the neighbor said.
"I was concerned for my safety."
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In its initial account, the police department said detectives were questioning the juvenile and adults who were inside the residence at the time of the shooting.
"We need the partnership and cooperation of homeowners," Dearlove told Fox 5. "We're going to get the full story, and then we will make our full report on it."
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Atlanta police cautioned that the information released so far is preliminary and could change as the investigation develops.
