In the small city of Chickamauga, Georgia, a domestic tragedy unfolded on a Saturday morning in May, forever altering the lives of the Wooten family. On May 6, 2017, Patrick Lance Wooten, a 30-year-old man, died from a gunshot wound to his chest. The incident occurred at a residence on Hood Avenue, where his father lived.
Responding to a 911 call just before noon, Chickamauga Police Department officers arrived at the home to find Lance Wooten deceased at the scene. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was subsequently called in to lead the death investigation. Their inquiry quickly focused on a suspect who was not only a family member but also a figure of local law enforcement.
The victim's father, 58-year-old Pat Wooten, was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting. At the time of the incident, Pat Wooten was employed as a detention officer for the Walker County Sheriff's Office and had previously served as a police officer in Chickamauga. Following the shooting, he was charged with malice murder and booked into the Catoosa County Jail without bond. The Walker County Sheriff's Office placed him on administrative leave without pay.
Reports indicated a history of conflict between the father and son that may have preceded the deadly confrontation. A source close to the family suggested that an argument stemming from a recent arrest of Lance Wooten for simple battery and family violence may have escalated, leading to the fatal shooting. An autopsy was scheduled to be performed at the GBI Crime Lab in Decatur to officially determine the cause of death.
