‘Put the guns down,’ pleads mom of 19-year-old killed in Wrens

WRENS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - An investigation is underway after a 19-year-old was shot and killed in Wrens early Saturday morning.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Pat Morgan says Jefferson County dispatchers received a call about a shooting shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday at a home on Washington Street in Wrens.

Morgan says when Wrens police and Jefferson County deputies arrived, they found the woman unconscious inside the home. She was taken to Augusta University Medical Center, where she later died. The GBI was called to investigate.

Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Fay McGahee has identified the shooting victim as 19-year-old Khia Shields.

“Everybody loved their Khia. She was just this warm person, and they just took her away from me,” said Shareka Pitts, Shields’ mother.

The unexpected tragedy has left the family in shock.

“Never in a million years that I thought that I would be woken up with her saying she was shot, never,” her mom said.

Shareka Pitts grew up on the street, this was a sudden shift for the calm community.

“It’s very quiet neighborhood. You know, I’ve been here for 41 years so never had this issue,” said Pitts.

She says that everyone that knew Khia, loved her.

“Just a great spirited, beautiful young lady that was just taken from me just too soon,” said Pitts.

Khia had big plans for her future.

“She wanted to be a teacher. But little kids always latched on to her for some reason, all the kids that she was around and like her God Son, even her cousins, she was just that person that they would latch to that they will connect with,” she said.

She says she hopes this doesn’t happen to anyone else ever again.

“Just put the guns down, just put the guns down. We have to come together as one and as a community and stop this gun violence because it’s getting out of hand, especially for Jefferson County,” said Pitts.

Now she is holding her family even closer but says nothing can replace Khia and the bond they had.

“She will be missed. She was my only child,” said Pitts.

The GBI is still investigating and there is no suspect at this time.

We will continue to keep you updated on this developing story.

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