Police: Child shot in DeKalb because of ‘road rage'
A little boy shot during the Tuesday afternoon commute in DeKalb County may have been a victim of road rage.
The 4-year-old was riding in a car driven by his mother near Stone Mountain when a single bullet flew from a passing SUV, according to DeKalb County police. The boy was struck in the buttocks and rushed to a hospital. He was expected to survive.
The shooting occurred around 4:30 p.m. southwest of Stone Mountain, near the intersection Redan and Martin roads.
Police are calling it "road rage related" because of what the mother said happened. She cut off a vehicle -- possibly a newer model white Chevy SUV -- piloted by a male with a female passenger, according to a statement by DeKalb investigators.
The SUV started tailgating her, so she pulled over to let it pass. When it did, the driver fired a handgun at her car, striking her son, who was in the backseat, strapped to a child seat.
Police had no definitive description of the suspect, who was still at large Tuesday evening.
About the Author
Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.
