Thomson neighbors shocked by shooting that injured 13-year-old
THOMSON, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - People in Thomson are shocked and upset over a shooting that sent a 13-year-old into intensive care at a hospital.
A number of homes were wrapped in crime scene tape Wednesday after Tuesday night’s shooting.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says at around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Thomson Police Department responded to a call of gunfire in the 500 block of Anderson Avenue.
When officers arrived, they found a 13-year-old boy from Thomson unresponsive with a gunshot wound.
Preliminary information indicates the victim and other minors were in the area when several unidentified men approached and shot at the home multiple times.
The victim was taken to a local hospital and is in critical condition.
HOW TO HELP:
- The GBI investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Thomson Police Department at 706-595-2166 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Thomson at 706-595-2575. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
People in the area were shocked and upset over the violence now affecting children.
Those who live in Thomson say there has been an increase in violence in the last two or three years.
Sabrina Hester is a nurse who used to live in Thomson. Now she helps take care of a family member on Anderson Avenue, close to where the shooting happened.
“We got too many young children losing their lives to gun violence. And I’ve lived here for 57 years. And this has been the worst that I’ve ever seen McDuffie County since I’ve been here. 57 years,” said Hester.
She says the violence needs to stop, especially involving children.
“He hadn’t even gotten to see what life would be like. He got to enjoy his life. And for somebody to just shoot him down like that like he was an animal. That’s just not acceptable, not acceptable at all,” she said.
And that someone needs to be held accountable.
“Nobody coming forward saying who shot this baby. And somebody needs to come forward and say who shot this baby. Because like I said, justice does need to be served,” said Hester.
They worry about what the future of Thomson could look like.
“They need to find better resolutions to the problem. Instead of guns, guns, guns, guns. Yeah, it’s got to get better in McDuffie County, it got to get better,” she said.
The case is still under investigation.
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