© BEN GRAY / AJC
DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander explains during a Wednesday afternoon press conference that the teen shot by a DeKalb officer following a Tuesday home invasion was not involved in the robbery, but had run from officers because he was skipping school. Alexander said the officer was startled by the teen and unintentionally discharged his firearm.
DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander explains during a Wednesday afternoon press conference that the teen shot by a DeKalb officer following a Tuesday home invasion was not involved in the robbery, but had run from officers because he was skipping school. Alexander said the officer was startled by the teen and unintentionally discharged his firearm.
DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander on Wednesday said the individual was a 16-year-old Southwest DeKalb High School student skipping school.
"It has been revealed to us that the subject shot by one our DeKalb police officers was not associated with the burglary on Streamside Court," Alexander said. "He was truant from school and began running when he saw police officers in the area."
The teen tried to hide from a K9 officer and apparently startled the officer as the officer approached him, the chief said.
"The K9 officer actually came in contact with the young man, and there was an unintentional discharge when he came up on a subject who appeared to be hiding in the shed," Alexander said.
The teen was shot in the torso and is in stable condition at a local hospital, police said.
Officers were called to a home in the 2600 block of Streamside Court, where a woman who had barricaded herself inside her home said invaders had broken in.
The two alleged home invaders were found in the attic, and the woman was rescued by police.
Alexander said one of the K9 officers saw the teen fleeing nearby and gave chase, not realizing the teen had nothing to do with the break-in.
When the officer's dog tracked the teen to the shed where the teen would typically hide when skipping, the teen startled the officer and the dog, Alexander said.
The officer, in turn, fired a shot that police say was accidental.
The officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
