In the early morning hours of a Tuesday in Macon, Georgia, a tragic incident unfolded that cut short the life of 16-year-old Antrez Felder. The Southwest High School student was found inside a residence on Bobby Jones Lane with a single gunshot wound to his head. The call came in to the Macon-Bibb Sheriff's Office just before 4:30 a.m. on August 5, 2014, reporting a person shot. When deputies arrived, they discovered the young man, a Black male, already deceased.
Initially, investigators were uncertain whether the shooting was a homicide or a suicide, and they began a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal event. Family members who were present at the home offered a heart-wrenching explanation, suggesting that the shooting was a tragic accident. They recounted that Felder had been handling a gun and was attempting to push it under his mattress when the weapon discharged. This account provided a crucial perspective for law enforcement as they pieced together the events of that morning.
The following day, the Bibb County coroner's office released the findings of an autopsy. The examination confirmed the family's belief, officially ruling Antrez Felder's death as accidental and self-inflicted. The evidence indicated that he had died from a single, unintentional gunshot wound. With this determination, the investigation concluded, bringing a somber closure to the untimely death of a teenager. There were no suspects or arrests in the case, as the evidence pointed to a devastating accident rather than a criminal act.
