Clayton News Daily

By Daniel Silliman

dsilliman@news-daily.com

Clayton County Police want witnesses to a suspected gang shooting to come forward.

On Saturday, at about 11:30 p.m., a 15-year-old boy was shot in the lower back, while leaving the skating rink at 281 Upper Riverdale Road.

"He's believed to be an innocent bystander," said Officer Tim Owens, police department spokesman. "He just had the unlucky position of being in the parking lot when the one gang fired at the other."

According to police, there were maybe 100 or more teens in the parking lot at the time. Some were leaving the skating rink and others were hanging out in the lot at Tara Discount Mall.

There were apparently two, feuding gangs, and someone opened fire.

The police report, filed by Officer P.E. Amos, identified the violence as gang-related, because of "gang members who flashed gang signs and made verbal gang statements."

Police could not identify the alleged gangs involved in the incident, Tuesday.

However, a 16-year-old was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and gang activity.

"A witness identified the shooter," Owens said. "A young black male, wearing all black, with dread locks, and the witness saw him getting into a red car."

Officers stopped the red car down the street, and detained the juvenile, who is not being named because of his age.

Police said they needed more information about what happened in the parking lot on Saturday night, and are urging more witnesses to come forward and tell police what they know.

Anyone with information about the shooting, is asked to call Detective Thomas Martin at (770) 477-3635.