DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. — Ten alleged gang members are facing serious charges after police said the met at the pool for a fight that ended with two of them shot.
The shooting happened in the Sweetwater Subdivision in Douglasville July 23, according to police. Authorities responded to the community pool there to find two teens had been shot - one in the leg and the other in the face. They didn't find anyone else, though, because police said they had all ran away.
EMTs treated both teens and took them to the hospital; they were later released.
Police said after their investigation, they determined that the 10 individuals had alleged gang ties and met at the pool specifically to fight.
According to authorities, during the fight, one of the suspects pulled a gun and fired off at least 10 rounds, two of which hit the teens. But police said there were more lives in danger, because there were also four victims - two of whom are under the age of 10 - not involved in the fight whose lives police said "were put in jeopardy by the actions of both groups."
Police said after it became apparent the shooting was gang-related, members of the Douglasville Special Operations Unit began to investigate the backgrounds of all those involved. As a result, all 10 suspects who came to the pool to fight that day were identified, tracked down, and arrested.
Each of those suspects are now charged with the following:
- 2 counts of aggravated Battery
- 9 counts of aggravated assault
- Participation in gang activity
- Earning and maintaining gang status
- Affray
- Reckless conduct.
Authorities said five of the suspects were from Douglas County, and the other five were from Cobb County. Six of the 10 people arrested are underage.
The Douglas County District Attorney’s office is now seeking to transfer all of the juvenile charges to Superior Court, according to authorities.
Meanwhile, the Douglasville Police Department said it is determined to "make an impact on gang activity in our community through extensive investigations in cases such as this, in addition to education and outreach programs for the public in the form of town hall meetings and youth programs."
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