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14-Year-Old Dies by Suicide After Accidentally Shooting His Sister in Stockbridge

The family says the boy bought the gun on the street and the girl has had three surgeries, spurring calls for accountability over illegal firearm sales to children.

Overview

  • The shooting and the boy’s suicide happened at the family home in Stockbridge, Georgia, on Wednesday when the 14-year-old accidentally shot his 12-year-old sister in the neck and then took his own life.
  • The sister, identified as Lyric, remains hospitalized and has undergone three surgeries on her neck and vocal cords with no timetable given for her discharge.
  • Grandmother Sharon Smith, who raised the boy, said he likely acted out of fear of prison and told reporters the firearm was bought on the street for about $200 though the seller is unknown.
  • The family asked for privacy and prayers while urging the community to stop illegal gun sales to minors, noting the loss follows the earlier July death of a 13-year-old cousin in a drive-by shooting.
  • Reporting so far is grounded in family statements to local station 11Alive and has not produced public law-enforcement updates about the weapon’s source or any criminal investigation, a gap that could shape calls for local action on illegal firearm markets.