In a tragic incident in west Savannah, 11-year-old Montrez Burroughs, a male, lost his life on a Friday night in early April 2014. The young boy was with a 12-year-old playmate at a house in the 1400 block of Church Street when the two were handling a firearm. Around 9 p.m., the gun discharged, striking Montrez.
Emergency services were called, and Montrez was rushed to Memorial University Medical Center. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department's Violent Crimes detectives immediately began an investigation into the fatal shooting.
Following the initial investigation, the 12-year-old who was with Montrez at the time of the shooting was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless conduct, and possession of a firearm by a person under the age of 18. After being charged, the 12-year-old was held at the Regional Youth Detention Center. The case highlighted the devastating consequences of children having access to firearms.
