SAVANNAH, Ga. – A 20-year-old man was killed and seven others -- three of them children -- were injured when someone in a passing car fired shots into a crowd gathered Friday night in front of a Savannah apartment complex.
Police said two of the survivors remain in critical condition. All other victims, including an 18-month-old child, had non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to recover.
Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter said Friday’s night’s shooting may be related to a previous incident at the same Avery Street residence, which was damaged by 10 gunshots last Tuesday night.
“We don’t think it was a coincidence,” Minter said.
Friday’s shooting also resulted in damage to three apartments and six vehicles. Police recovered at least 60 shell casings at the scene.
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson told WTOC-TV that these are the calls no one wants to receive.
“It happens all over the country and now it’s happened here at home,” Johnson told WTOC. “Obviously, we are absolutely devastated. We’re disgusted. Right now I think we’re singularly focused on trying to determine the who’s, the what’s, and the why’s of why something like this would happen in our community.”
Johnson told WTOC that in his conversations with the police chief it appears that something occurred between some of the people involved and “other innocent folks who just happened to be around” also ended up hurt.
“It’s a lot to unpack,” Johnson said. “In this, we’ve also had two very young people who were also victimized. Bullets don’t have a name.”
The mayor urged anyone with information about the mass shooting to come forward and contact the Savannah Police Department.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.