In a tragic turn of events on a Monday afternoon, 15-year-old Benson West lost his life in what police have described as an accidental shooting in Union City, Georgia. The young man, a freshman at Banneker High School, was with a group of male friends inside an apartment at the Landings at Oak Hill complex when the incident occurred.
Authorities report that one of the teenagers in the group was improperly handling a firearm when it discharged. The single round struck Benson in the chest, inflicting a fatal wound. When police responded to the call around 4:40 p.m., they found Benson West deceased at the scene. Although he lived in College Park, he was visiting friends in the Union City apartment at the time of the fatal incident.
In connection with the shooting, 17-year-old Ja'Quan Perry was arrested and faced multiple charges, including involuntary manslaughter, possession of a firearm during a crime, and reckless conduct. He was subsequently booked into the Fulton County jail. The death of Benson West was one of two separate, unrelated fatal shootings involving teenagers in Union City within a two-day span, causing concern among city leaders and residents about youth and gun violence.
