An 11-year-old boy was killed Monday night after shots were fired into his family’s home in Paulding County, authorities said.
At about 11:15 p.m., Paulding deputies got a call about an assault with a firearm at a residence off Ruth Way, a residential neighborhood near Ga. 92. When deputies arrived, they provided medical aid to the boy, but he later died from his injuries, according to the sheriff’s office.
On Tuesday, he was identified as Zander Whatley by Paulding County Coroner Lindsey Eberhart.
A motive is unclear, and no information was provided by deputies about possible suspects. Whatley would have turned 12 in a couple of weeks, Eberhart said. No other injuries were reported.
Whatley’s father, who asked not to be identified out of fear for his family’s safety, told Channel 2 Action News that a group of young men pulled up to the home and opened fire. They apparently had an issue with one of his other sons, according to the news station.
In a Facebook post, Whatley’s mother Shareeda Dorsey said losing him has been the hardest thing in her life.
“I’m just trying to process my baby not here anymore and comfort his siblings who are missing him like crazy,” she added.
An investigation is ongoing. Both the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office and GBI are asking the public for more information about the incident, deputies said.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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