3 Charged In Shooting Of Toddler In DeKalb

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA — Two men and a teenage boy are facing aggravated assault charges in connection with the shooting of a 3-year-old boy Sunday in the 300 block of North Stone Mountain Lithonia Road, DeKalb County Police said Monday.

The boy was riding in a car with his father around 6:45 p.m. when a dispute between several people escalated to gunfire at a nearby gas station, police said.

The car was stopped in traffic when it was hit by bullets, injuring the child in the car seat, police said. His father was not injured, police said.

When officers arrived, they found the boy suffering from a gunshot wound. Police said he was hospitalized in critical condition as of Monday afternoon.

Video footage from the department's Digital Shield technology led investigators to conduct a traffic stop around 10:45 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Drive near North Hairston Road, where police said the following people were arrested without incident: Jonathon Tate, 20, Julius Hughes, 21, and an unidentified juvenile.

Police said they then searched a Rock Meadow Drive home, where they recovered a gun and other suspected evidence.

The trio was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, police said.

"Let me be very clear: this child was an innocent victim. This incident was reckless, senseless and completely unacceptable," DeKalb County Police Chief Greg Padrick said in a news release.

"... Our thoughts and prayers are with this child and his family. No parent should ever have to experience this, and no child should ever be harmed by the careless actions of others. The DeKalb County Police Department will continue to combine strong investigative work with modern, accountable technology to keep our community safe. Violence like this will not be tolerated, and those responsible will be held fully accountable."