Griffin police have arrested a man accused of ditching a gun that was later discovered by a 5-year-old who used it to fatally shoot his older brother.
The shooting occurred Saturday evening as three children played in the woods behind homes on Hammock Street, AJC.com previously reported.
RELATED: Police: Griffin boy, 12, fatally shot after sibling finds gun in woods
According to police, the child stumbled across the loaded weapon and picked it up. Believing it was a toy, he aimed the gun at his 12-year-old brother and pulled the trigger, striking him in the chest.
Investigators said the gun was left in the woods earlier that day by a man who ran from a traffic stop after being pulled over nearby. Following the chase, officers searched the area and discovered a bag of MDMA, but had no idea a gun had been left behind.
“We got word that he dumped something in the bushes. Our guys looked around and ended up finding what we suspect to be MDMA,” Jett said. “We were never aware of a gun. We never even looked for one.”
On Friday, police announced the arrest of 21-year-old Octavious Montrell Lyons, the man they said hid the weapon while running from police.
“Investigators interviewed numerous people regarding the firearm, tracking its possession via multiple parties,” police said in a news release. “It was soon established that (Lyons) was the individual that abandoned the firearm later discovered by the children ...”
Lyons was arrested Friday morning after officers executed a search warrant at his home on Forestwood Drive. During that search, police reportedly discovered several weapons, ammunition and illegal drugs.
The 21-year-old faces multiple charges, including involuntary manslaughter, possession of MDMA, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, obstruction, abandonment of a dangerous drug, reckless conduct, and three counts of criminal street gang activity, records show.
He remains held at the Spalding County Jail.
“This particular case is a tragedy,” officers wrote in the news release. “The family of the deceased child is obviously heartbroken, the community is shocked and responding officers have experienced a life-changing event that they will take with them throughout their careers.”
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