An altercation with a large, unruly crowd near the Six Flags Over Georgia theme park in suburban Atlanta resulted in the shooting of a 15-year-old. Authorities are seeking multiple suspects.
On Monday, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) identified the youngster as Syere Littlefield of College Park, Georgia.
A service road next to the theme park’s Austell location in Cobb County, approximately 17 miles northwest of Atlanta, was the scene of gunfire around 6:15 p.m., according to the Cobb County Police Department.
In a statement, Cobb County police said that before the incident, security at Six Flags Over Georgia had requested the presence of Cobb County police to help disperse a large group of 500 to 600 people who were causing mayhem by running amok and getting into fights.
The mob was agitated when the police arrived at the park, which was celebrating the beginning of its season, according to officials.
On Sunday afternoon, the GBI—which is responsible for investigating the shooting—stated that preliminary facts indicate that Cobb County cops were requested to assist in controlling the crowd near the park’s gate as a result of many fights among parkgoers who were leaving the premises.
The GBI reported that Littlefield was severely injured and airlifted to Grady Hospital in Atlanta.
According to the GBI, police located a firearm close to the scene where Littlefield was shot. On Monday, it remained unclear if Littlefield had fired a weapon during the incident.
An empty marked police patrol car was struck by a group of gunmen, according to the GBI.
The injured young man is currently listed in critical condition.
The boy will be charged with multiple offenses after he leaves the hospital, according to Aaron Wilson, a spokesperson for the Cobb County police. These include aggravated assault, assault, possession of a firearm during a crime, possession of a firearm under the age of 18, and interference with government property.
