Child injured in shooting at DeKalb County apartments, brother in custody, police say

Associated Press

A shooting at a DeKalb County home has ended with a child rushed to the hospital and their adult brother in custody, police say.

Authorities with the DeKalb County Police Department tell CBS News Atlanta that officers were called to the 600 block of Abberley Way around 2:45 a.m. on Monday after receiving reports that a child had been shot.

When officers got to the scene, they found the injured child in one of the apartment complex’s units.

Medics rushed the child to a hospital for treatment. Officials say the victim, who is described as being younger than 10, is expected to survive.

Investigators believe the child’s brother, identified as 21-year-old Christopher Fields, had picked up his gun to put it away when it went off. The bullet hit the victim, who was in the next room.

Officers took Fields to the DeKalb County Jail and say charges are “forthcoming.”

“DeKalb County Police would like to remind all gun owners that the Department offers free gun safes at any of our four precincts, Monday through Friday,” the police department told CBS News Atlanta. “This free service is provided in the hopes of preventing incidents like this from happening to other families.”