In the winter of 2016, a life was tragically cut short in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Dominic Smith, a 19-year-old male, died on February 11, 2016, in what was a devastating and unforeseen turn of events. The night unfolded in a parking lot on Balvaird Drive where a group of teenagers, ranging in age from 16 to 19, had gathered.
Among the group was 16-year-old Lesley Salinas, a friend of Dominic's.
In a moment of recklessness, Salinas was handling a firearm when it discharged, striking and fatally wounding Smith. In the immediate aftermath, panic ensued, and the other teenagers who had witnessed the tragic incident fled the scene.
Left with her dying friend, Salinas made the decision to drive him to the Gwinnett Medical Center. Her erratic driving caught the attention of a Lawrenceville police officer, and a brief two-mile pursuit followed. When she was eventually stopped, officers made the grim discovery of Dominic Smith in the back of her car, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to the hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal.
Following the incident, Lesley Salinas was arrested and taken into custody. She was subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless conduct, and possession of a pistol by a minor. Salinas was held at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center. The uncle of Dominic Smith described him as a 'good kid who's going to be missed' and expressed his hope that the tragedy would serve as a lesson to others about the dangers of playing with firearms.
