A 7-year-old girl was killed, and her mother was wounded after gunfire erupted at an Atlanta apartment late Tuesday night, police said.
Officers responded around 9:49 p.m. to reports of two people shot in the 2200 block of Tiger Flowers Drive NW, according to an Atlanta Police Department incident report. When officers arrived, they found a 44-year-old woman and her 7-year-old daughter suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
Both were rushed to the hospital. Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the mother is in stable condition and expected to survive. The child later died from her injuries.
“Unfortunately, that child has passed away,” Schierbaum said during a press conference at the scene. “The Atlanta Police Department has lost a child. The city of Atlanta has lost a child.”
Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute between individuals who knew each other. Schierbaum said police believe the argument began about 30 minutes before shots were fired into the home.
“We believe an individual came to this location and opened fire,” the chief said.
Homicide investigators responded to the scene and are working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the shooting. Schierbaum said detectives are following strong leads and expect to make an arrest.
“We are going to arrest the individual that took a child from Atlanta through senseless gun violence,” he said. “And you know who you are. Turn yourself in. When we come to your house with an arrest warrant, we are going to take you into custody.”
Police have not released the names of the victims or a suspect.
Schierbaum acknowledged that while the department has reported progress in reducing gun violence overall, incidents like this underscore ongoing challenges.
“There are too many guns in the wrong hands, and they’re being fired in times of anger,” he said. “This police department will continue to combat that.”
The chief, visibly emotional, said cases involving children weigh heavily on officers.
“Our officers are mothers and fathers. We’re brothers and sisters to young siblings, so we see our families when we arrive on scene,” Schierbaum said. “When it’s a child, it hits home.”
The investigation remains active. Police are urging anyone with information to contact the Atlanta Police Department.
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