A 19-year-old was shot and killed Monday night in a church parking lot near Lithonia, police said.

The shooter is on the run and the victim’s sister is devastated, Channel 2 Action News reported.

The teenager, identified as Omar Johnson, often used the Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist Church parking lot as a shortcut to get back to the subdivision where he lived, his sister said.

The sister asked the news station to conceal her identity.

DeKalb County police are investigating after a shooting left a teen dead near Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist Church. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

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Credit: Channel 2 Action News

The shooting happened about 9:15 p.m. Monday in the 3800 block of Big Miller Grove Way, DeKalb County police spokeswoman Shiera Campbell said.

Three of the teen’s friends were with Johnson when he was shot in the chest after some sort of confrontation, Campbell said. He died on the scene.

His sister told Channel 2 that Johnson was outgoing, happy and “full of life.” He had recently graduated from high school.

“He was kindhearted,” she said. “He’d give anybody anything.”

Police don’t have a motive or suspects identified, but witness Daniel Taylor told Channel 2 he heard four gunshots. Taylor works in the area as a basketball coach and was unable to sleep when he heard about the homicide.

“Thinking about somebody’s parents,” he said, “gotta wake up and your kid is dead ...”

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Channel 2's Carl Willis reports.

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In this file photo from October 2024, Atlanta Braves outfielder Jorge Soler and teammates react after losing to the San Diego Padres 5-4 in San Diego. The Braves and Soler, who now plays for the Los Angeles Angels, face a lawsuit by a fan injured at a 2021 World Series game at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

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