Two arrested after shooting kills teen, injures another in Soperton

Police say a 15-year-old died and a 17-year-old was injured in a Sunday afternoon shooting on New Street.

SOPERTON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Two people are facing murder and assault charges after a Sunday afternoon shooting in Soperton that left one teenager dead and another in critical condition.

According to a Monday afternoon news release from Soperton Police, officers responded around 3:40 p.m. Sunday to the 100 block of New Street after reports of gunfire. When they arrived, officers found a 15-year-old boy with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the same time, a 17-year-old arrived at the EMS headquarters with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken by ambulance to Memorial Health Meadows Hospital in Vidalia and then flown to a trauma center.

Neither of the teens have been identified.

Soperton Police said the department worked with the Treutlen County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation through the night and into Monday morning. Investigators arrested 20-year-old Emily Ford of Dublin 19-year-old Allen Knight of Soperton. Both are charged with felony murder, aggravated assault and two counts of party to the crime.

“Investigations are dynamic with a lot of moving parts,” Soperton Police Chief Brian Scott said in the release. “The investigating agencies, as well as the partner law enforcement agencies who assisted, all had a unified goal: Find the facts and seek justice for the victims. “This is a very tragic incident resulting from a senseless act of violence.”

The department said several other agencies helped with the investigation, including Georgia State Patrol posts in Swainsboro and Dublin, Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, Dublin Police Department, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Dublin Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.

Treutlen County Schools confirmed on Facebook Sunday night that one student was killed and another injured in the shooting. The district said classes would continue Monday under soft lockdown, with added deputies and counselors on campus to support students and staff.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Treutlen County 911 Center at (912) 529-3222 or the GBI Eastman Office at (478) 374-6988. Tips can also be submitted online at gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online.