In the summer of 2016, a life was tragically cut short in Hawkinsville, Georgia. Seventeen-year-old Micheal Mays, a male, was at his home on Franklin Street on June 6th when a gathering of young men took a fatal turn. Inside the residence, a handgun was being handled recklessly among the group, leading to an unintentional discharge that struck and killed Mays. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to probe the circumstances surrounding the young man's death.
The investigation led to the arrest of another teenager, 17-year-old Lance Eric Pitts of Hawkinsville, on June 20, 2016. Following the GBI's findings, Pitts was charged in connection with Mays' death. The charges brought against him included involuntary manslaughter, pointing or aiming a gun at another, and reckless conduct. Authorities indicated that they did not believe the shooting was an intentional act.
A celebration of life for Micheal Mays was held on June 14, 2016, at Springfield Baptist Church in Hawkinsville, followed by his interment at Rosehill Cemetery. He was a student at Hawkinsville High School. The case highlighted the dangers of mishandling firearms and the devastating consequences that can arise from moments of recklessness.
