Atlanta police are investigating a quadruple shooting that injured a 9-year-old girl. Neighbors say they heard more than a dozen gunshots in Wabash Park at 411 Parkway Drive in Old Fourth Ward around 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Police say the child was shot in the right thigh. She is expected to be OK. Two males were also shot, as well as a 20-year-old woman who was grazed by a bullet.
All victims were alert, conscious and breathing when they were taken to the hospital. Witnesses told Channel 2’s Matt Johnson there were so many shots fired that it must have been a shootout.
“You cannot keep endangering our children. These are our future,” neighbor Caron Clements said. “These children deserve a chance.”
Police believe the shooting happened in the park but they don’t have any suspects. A witness told Johnson the mother of the 9-year-old picked her up off the ground and ran toward nearby Atlanta Medical Center.
“It's not fair. These children ain’t got nothing to do with any beef y’all got and so don’t bring it,” Clements said.
Police say they recovered fifteen shell casings so far but they are just beginning the investigation.
“It is a large crime scene. Motive has not been established. We are talking with individuals that have provided us some degree of information,” Atlanta police Maj. Paul Guerrucci said.
Neighbors say the shooting is a wakeup call that they hope gets the community more involved.
“I’m going to start having prayer services at least one a day week in this park. If anyone doesn’t want to participate, I’m going to make them leave,” Clements said.