In the quiet backyard of a Forest Park, Georgia home, the life of 15-year-old Quinterius Wooten, an African American male, was cut tragically short on the evening of October 26, 2017. What was initially reported as a random act of violence, a drive-by shooting, soon unraveled into a story of teenage misadventure with a fatal conclusion. The two teenagers with Quinterius, aged 14 and 15, initially told police a story of a shooting from a passing vehicle on Boca Grande Boulevard.
However, inconsistencies in their accounts led investigators to dig deeper.
Under questioning, the fabricated story fell apart, and the truth emerged. There had been no drive-by shooting. Instead, the three teenagers were in a shed behind the residence, smoking marijuana and playing with a gun. The 15-year-old, handling the firearm, accidentally discharged the weapon, striking Quinterius. The gunshot wound proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital. The gun used in the accidental shooting was later discovered to have been stolen from a vehicle in Ellenwood approximately two weeks prior.
Following the investigation and the confession, the two surviving teenagers faced legal consequences for their roles in the tragic incident. The 15-year-old who fired the fatal shot was charged as a juvenile with involuntary manslaughter, possession of a weapon by a minor, and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. The 14-year-old was charged with obstruction of an officer for his part in the initial false report to the police. Due to their status as minors, the names of the two boys charged were not publicly released.
