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12-year-old injured in possible drive-by shooting at SE Atlanta home

By and FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  October 31, 2024 5:47pm EDT
Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

12-year-old hospitalized after home is shot at

A local family is afraid to return home after someone opened fire on their southeast Atlanta residence. The shooting wounded a 12-year-old boy on Lakewood Trail. He's remains hospitalized at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta’s Arthur M. Blank Hospital in Brookhaven.

The Brief

    • A 12-year-old boy named Deng Lat was hospitalized after a shooting at his home on the 2000 block of Lakewood Trail in southeast Atlanta.
    • The incident occurred after midnight, with the boy's mother, Aliet Aguer, and her children asleep at the time; Lat was hit in the shoulder and grazed on the forearm.
    • Aliet Aguer indicated that her son is recovering and needs surgery to remove a bullet, forgiving the unknown shooter.
    • The authorities suspect the shooting may have been a drive-by incident, as shell casings were found in the road, and detectives are searching for doorbell camera footage.
    • Aguer feels unsafe in her home, where she has lived for nine years without prior issues, and neighbors believe multiple gunmen may have been involved.

ATLANTA - Police are searching for a gunman in a shooting at a southeast Atlanta home that sent a 12-year-old boy to the hospital overnight.

The shooting happened shortly after midnight at a home on the 2000 block of Lakewood Trail, police say.

12-year-old injured in shooting outside home

Police are searching for the person who fired shots at a southeast Atlanta home and sent a 12-year-old victim to the hospital.

Officials tell FOX 5 that officers responded to the scene after getting a call about a person shot and found the victim on scene.

The boy's mother, Aliet Aguer, says she and her three children were sleeping at their home when shots rang out.

"I'm just scared right now, what happened to me and my baby," said Aguer.

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Police investigate a shooting along Lakewood Trail on Oct. 31, 2024. (FOX 5)

Investigators say 12-year-old Deng Lat was hit once in the shoulder and grazed by a second bullet in the forearm while in his bedroom.

"I'm just praying that he will be OK. I thank God that he is alive," Aguer said.

Medics rushed Lat to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Aguer says he is recovering but will need surgery to remove one of the bullets.

"The only thing I can say, whoever shot my child, whoever shot my kid, my son. I don't know who you are, but I forgive you," Aguer said. 

Authorities are still investigating what led up to the violence, but officers told FOX 5 that it could have been a drive-by shooting.

Deng Lat (Courtesy of the family)

Detectives canvassed the area and found shell casings in the road. Investigators are now looking for possible doorbell camera video that could help with the case.

"I'm innocent, innocent mom. I just take care of my kid, but you try to kill us. I don't know who you are, but please, I am in pain," said Aguer.

Aguer told FOX 5 her family has lived in the house for nine years and never had any problems. She had no idea why their house was targeted or who could have done it.

"I'm not safe in that house. It might happen to me and my children," said Aguer.

Neighbors reported hearing multiple gunshots and told FOX 5 they believe there was more than one gunman.

If you have any information that could help with the investigation, call the Atlanta Police Department.

The Source

  • FOX 5 Atlanta original report