A 14-year-old boy was shot and killed outside a metro Atlanta high school football game Saturday afternoon, according to police. Early Sunday, investigators were searching for a classmate accused in the killing.
The shooting happened shortly before 5 p.m. near Griffin High School, police said. Griffin police officers and Spalding County deputies were at the school for a 2 p.m. game between Griffin and Spalding County.
At around 4:42 p.m., officers heard gunshots fired in the area, according to Investigator Richard Powell with Griffin police. After searching the area, law enforcement officers located a 15-year-old boy at the intersection of South 5th and East Poplar streets, Powell said in a statement.
“The victim was transported to Spalding Regional Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries,” police said.
The teenager’s name was not released.
Investigators said Sunday there was no “ongoing threat” to the community and a weapon was not brought into the stadium.
“Preliminary information shows that the victim did know the suspect as acquaintances from school and this was not a random incident,” Powell said.
On Sunday, Griffin police said 17-year-old Kaomarion Kendricks had been charged with murder, aggravated assault, possession of a pistol by persons under 18, reckless conduct and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. His whereabouts were unknown and he was considered armed and dangerous, Powell said.
“Any persons caught harboring this fugitive will be charged accordingly,” District Attorney Marie Broder said.
The District Attorney’s Office was assisting with the investigation, along with the Griffin-Spalding County school system. Grief counselors are expected at the county’s high schools this week.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Griffin police at 770-229-6452.
In a separate incident in August, an 18-year-old student was shot in the Tara Stadium parking lot during a football game, the Clayton County school district said.
The Dutchtown High School senior was shot at around 10:25 p.m. Aug. 18 while Jonesboro was playing Mt. Zion, the school district said. According to investigators, the shooting was the result of an attempted robbery.
Isaiah Thomas suffered a spinal cord injury and was told he might never walk again, his family said.
“He’s not accepting at all that he won’t be able to walk again. He tells us all the time that he’s going to be OK, he’s going to be great, he’s going to be fine, and he’s going to walk again,” Thomas’ older sister, Tatiana Brimidge, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution days after the shooting.
