A teenager was fatally shot Friday evening inside a vehicle after his cousin accidentally fired a gun in DeKalb County, police said.

Officers were called to the 1800 block of Shawn Wayne Court near a fire station regarding a person shot shortly before 10 p.m. Michael Wilkes, 19, was found with a gunshot wound to the back and taken to a hospital, where he later died, according to police.

Authorities learned that the shooting took place at a different location before the victim was driven to Shawn Wayne Court.

Officers said they spoke with two other people who were inside the vehicle and found out that a rear passenger accidentally discharged a firearm, striking Wilkes. The victim’s cousin, 19-year-old Quintavious Wilkes, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and booked into the DeKalb jail.

— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.

About the Author

Keep Reading

The shooting happened Thursday afternoon outside Greenbriar Mall, police said. (Channel 2 Action News)

Credit: NewsChopper 2

Featured

Rose Scott signals as Closer Look goes on air in the WABE studio. An Atlanta resident left WABE a $3 million donation, a boost after WABE lost $1.9 million in annual funding from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. (Ben Gray / AJC file)

Credit: Ben Gray