Multiple people, including a child, shot at Athens shopping center

By Joe Johnson

Multiple people reportedly were injured late Wednesday afternoon at the Athens Plaza shopping center on North Avenue.

A witness sad that one of the victims, a girl about 6 years old, had been shot in the eye.

"I took her from her mom, and an officer and I took over stopping the blood. Within three minutes EMS took over," Fredrick Sunley said. "I spoke with this little girl and comforted her and her mom."

A police spokesman on Wednesday night said he did not have complete information about the afternoon's events.

"It is my understanding that there were several injuries that resulted from the incident," Lt. Shaun Barnett said. "However, it is possible that some of the injures are not directly gunshot wounds, but injuries that were sustained in a different manner," such as from debris or ricochets.

According to witnesses the shooting apparently began as a fight at a barber shop that made its way outside.

When shots were fired, they said, bullets or ricochets entered a dance studio where the young girl and another victim were shot.