DeKalb County officials announce arrests in shooting that left 3-year-old critically injured

DeKalb County officials announced that three people were arrested in connection with a Jan. 4 shooting that left a 3-year-old child in critical condition.

Chief Greg Padrick of the DeKalb County Police Department said officers responded to a report of gunfire in the 300 block of North Stone Mountain Lake Onia Road on Sunday evening and found the child suffering from a gunshot wound. "This child was an innocent victim," Padrick said. "This incident was reckless, senseless, and completely unacceptable." The child was seated in a car seat and not involved in the dispute; the child's father was not injured and the child was transported to a hospital.

Padrick said detectives rapidly identified a suspect vehicle using video evidence and coordination among investigators. A traffic stop on Memorial Drive near North Hairston Road led to the detention of all occupants without incident, and a search warrant at a Rockmeadow Drive residence produced a firearm and additional evidence. "Violence like this will not be tolerated, and those responsible will be held fully accountable," Padrick said. Police charged three individuals with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony; one of those arrested is a juvenile. All remain in custody and the investigation is active.

DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Lorraine Cochran Johnson credited the county's video surveillance system ordinance, passed in 2020, and the county's real-time crime center for enabling the rapid development of investigative leads. "Our video surveillance system ordinance that passed in 2020 ... requires all gas and service stations as well as businesses that have been identified as high violent risk to have mandatory video surveillance," Cochran Johnson said. She also acknowledged the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners for investing in public safety tools and staffing that support investigations.

Padrick provided recent enforcement statistics tied to the technology, saying that in the last 30 days "over 18 arrests" were made through the new technology and that five homicide cases and 12 other cases had been cleared. He urged anyone with information to contact the DeKalb County Police Department or Crime Stoppers Atlanta.

Organizers said they were not accepting questions at the briefing because the investigation remains active; a news release with further details, including suspect names, will be distributed after the conference. The investigation is ongoing and detectives said they will continue to pursue every available lead.