A Georgia teen reportedly took his own life after an accidental shooting that left his friend dead on Monday, inside a makeshift shed in Lawrenceville.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that 15-year-old Devin Hodges was showing a group of friends a gun when he accidentally fired a shot and hit his friend, Chad Carless, 17. According to Gwinnett County Police Department Officer Ashley Wilson, the group of teens were looking at the gun while huddled inside a small shed in Lawrenceville, off of Riverlanding Circle, when the incident occurred.
“What we’ve learned so far is that (Carless) was in a group of four males gathered in a makeshift shed (behind a home),” Wilson said, according to Gwinnett Daily Post. “At some point, a gun was displayed and was fired and (Carless) was struck. (Hodges) then ran from the shed.”
Here are the details about this afternoon’s shooting on Riverlanding Circle. pic.twitter.com/3q9HDOA0QS
— Gwinnett Police Dept (@GwinnettPd) January 1, 2019
After the teens ran from the shed, one of them called 911. According to Gwinnett PD, the name of the caller has not been released.
Detective David Smith of the Gwinnett County Police Department said when authorities arrived, they spotted Hodges “running between two homes,” apparently with a handgun. While between the homes, he shot himself in the head.
“Carless succumbed to his injuries before help could arrive,” Smith said. “As officers were arriving on scene, Hodges was seen running between two homes, where he then took his own life with the handgun.”
It’s unclear how the teen found the gun or who it belonged to, but the ordeal shook the residents of the normally-quiet neighborhood.
“The (shed) is kind of a shack that kids hang out in, so we’re kind of like, ‘oh my God,’” resident Barrie Hunter told Gwinnett Daily Post. “We’ve lived here for 18 years — this is the first crazy thing (like this) to happen.”
The story continues to develop. Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
For help with anyone contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741.
[Feature Photo: Gwinnett PD/Twitter]
