Hall County deputies believe a 17-year-old had a gun with him when he got into a fight with a man Wednesday night.
When Paul Statham Jr. fired at the man, another man fired back, striking and killing the teenager, the sheriff’s office said. Now deputies are investigating the double shooting that also left Tyrenskie Odem, 31, critically injured.
Just after 9 p.m., Hall deputies responded to a residence in the 3000 block of Southchase Drive off Roy Parks Road about a report of gunfire.
“When they arrived at the scene, deputies found one person dead and another wounded outside of a shed on the property,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Statham had been shot multiple times, police said. The GBI will be conducting an autopsy.
Odem was shot in the pelvic area and remained in the hospital Thursday, the sheriff’s office said.
“At this point in the investigation, HCSO criminal investigators believe Statham arrived at the house and began a verbal argument with Odem,” the sheriff’s office said. “When Statham produced a gun and fired at Odem, a third party at the scene shot at Statham, striking him and killing him.”
The person who fired the deadly shot is cooperating with investigators and has not been charged, the sheriff’s office said Thursday afternoon.
Statham was a member of a nonprofit group called “Men Alive,” a mentoring nonprofit for teenage boys, according to a Facebook post.
“We solicit your prayers as we navigate this grieving progress alongside his family,” the group posted. “We love you, Paul.”
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