Two young Athens men in critical condition from separate shooting incidents

By Joe Johnson

In separate incidents Saturday night, two young Athens men were shot, and on Sunday morning they both remained hospitalized in critical condition, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police official.

The first incident occurred at around 6:30 p.m. at the Clarke Gardens apartment complex, according to police Lt. Shaun Barnett.

While officers were responding, he said, police were notified that an 18-year-old male had arrived at the hospital with a life-threatening injury that was related to the discharging firearms complaint that originated from the 100 block of Thumpa Avenue within the complex.

About six hours later, at 12:16 a.m., Barnett said, officers responded to another discharging firearms call, this time in the 100 block of Northview Drive, where they found a 24-year-old male who had been shot. He also was transported by EMS to hospital in critical condition.

No arrests were made, and Barnett said the incidents remained under investigation.