A 15-year-old cheerleader was shot dead and three others were injured in a shooting at a party after a high school prom in south Georgia, according to authorities.
A 17-year-old male has now been charged with murder in the shooting early Saturday in Fitzgerald, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said. Fitzgerald is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Macon.
Chyell Paulk was pronounced dead at a local hospital. She was a freshman, Irwin County High School Principal Jared Luke said. “I’m just numb. I can’t even wrap my head around it,” Chelsie King, Chyell’s mom, said. “She was 15 with a full life ahead of her.”
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Channen Brown, 17, was arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and charged with felony murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and possessing a gun while committing a felony. Under Georgia criminal law, 17-year-olds are charged as adults. A court clerk on Monday said there was no record of Brown appearing before a judge or having a lawyer representing him.
Police on Monday told WALB-TV that additional arrests are possible. A second shooting took place in Fitzgerald on Monday that caused a lockdown at Ben Hill County schools. Initial reports indicated two people were injured. Schools in Ben Hill County and in neighboring Irwin County both said they were offering counseling to students.
“The loss of Chyell is extremely saddening and tragic,” Luke said in a statement. “She had a loving spirit and always had a smile on her face.”
Two of the other people who were shot, a 19-year-old female and a 15-year-old male, were released from the hospital. A 14-year-old student who was shot in the arm was undergoing surgery Monday. Social media posts for the teen, who attended Irwin County High School, revealed sentiments written by friends and family.
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“Chyell was an honor student, a basketball cheerleader, and a wonderful friend and student,” science teacher Autumn Bridges wrote on Facebook. “Let’s remember her for the laughter she brought, the friendships she nurtured, and the kindness she showed to everyone she met.
"Our thoughts are with her family, friends, classmates, and teachers during this difficult time.” Although the cause of the gunshots is unknown, authorities have stated that they are looking into it.
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Elsewhere, one person was killed and a 9-year-old child was injured in a shooting that occurred inside a Walmart in Georgia in April, according to police.
The incident happened at a business in Fayetteville, which is 22 miles south of Atlanta, at around 10 p.m. local time, the city's public safety department said. According to authorities, the toddler was only a bystander struck by a stray bullet and 19-year-old Adrian Jelks was the intended target of the shooting.