WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. — Four young men have been identified as the victims of a deadly shooting at a park in Whitfield County, according to the local sheriff's office.
11Alive first brought you the story on Sunday, when authorities noted they found four bodies in the park Saturday night.
Authorities said they were dispatched to the park just after 11:00 p.m. due to shots fired. Upon arrival, law enforcement found the bodies of the four young men.
The victims have been identified as:
- 19-year-old Joshua Pedro Pelico-Pelico of Dalton, GA
- 21-year-old David Antonio Delgadillo of Dalton, GA
- 17-year-old Daniel Segura-Cruz of Rome, GA
- 18-year-old Robert Valencia of Rome, GA
In their statement, deputies noted they believed a group from Rome traveled to meet Pelico and Delgadillo at the park to obtain "contraband." Deputies add both groups had guns, and a shootout eventually unfolded.
Kristen Nelson said her family knew two of the young men -- Pelico-Pelico and Delgadillo.
"This should've never happened," she said. "It's just so sad."
She called what happened devastating.
"They were not bad kids. They worked they took care of their family," she said. "They had jobs. The worst thing they did was smoke marijuana. They sold some for cash for parts for their cars."
There is one 16-year-old in custody from Rome charged with four counts of felony murder. The suspect's name has not been released at this time. Authorities said they had no reason to believe this was gang-related and believed it was an isolated incident.
Rome City Schools also released its own statement, saying that one of its students was among the victims:
A Rome City School student died on Saturday. Rome City Schools offers our condolences to the student’s family and friends and everyone who has been affected. Trained staff are in place to assist all members of our school community in dealing with this sudden and tragic loss.
Those with any information are asked to contact the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office at 706-278-1233 or the GBI at 800-597-8477.