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Inset: Cameron Coney (GoFundMe). Background: Atlanta cops investigate after Coney was shot and killed by his friend (ANF).
Due to his minor status, the suspect remains unnamed, but he now faces a murder charge, as confirmed by the Atlanta police. The victim has been identified by family members as Cameron Coney, according to reports from local TV stations.
The tragic event unfolded just before 2 p.m. on Saturday at a residence located on the 1800 block of Lathrop Street SE. Responding officers discovered Cameron with a gunshot wound. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he was declared dead by medical staff.
While the specifics leading to the shooting remain unclear, family members shared with the local ABC affiliate WSB that Cameron had invited friends over, and one of the teens reportedly brought a firearm.
Police have not said what led up to the shooting, but family members told local ABC affiliate WSB that Cameron had some friends over. One of the teens allegedly brought a gun.
“We were told one of them pointed the gun at all the friends, and when it got to Cameron, it was on his chest,” Cameron”s aunt Latosha Coney told the TV station.
That’s when the 14-year-old allegedly pulled the trigger. It’s unclear if the boy accidentally pulled the trigger or if he did so on purpose.
In a GoFundMe account description, family said Cameron was a “silly, playful young boy who was known for making people laugh with his jokes.”
“What makes this tragedy even more heartbreaking is that Cameron was shot in his own room, in the place where he should have felt the most safe — his home. No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain,” the description said.
Cops took the suspect to the Metro Youth Detention Center, where he remains. His next court date has not been released.