Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
An 11-year-old boy is fighting for his life at a local hospital after being reportedly shot at a Dekalb County skating rink earlier this month. His family is calling for officials to shut the establishment down temporarily.
According to 11 Alive Atlanta, Dmari Johnson was shot in the back of the head just after 11 p.m. on April 9 outside the Golden Glide Skating Rink.
The shooting was initially captured on a cellphone recording sent to Johnson’s mother’s Instagram account. DeKalb Police Chief Mirtha Ramos said the department is still working on leads to bring the fifth grader justice. However, they have not identified the suspect in connection to the shooting.
“Every lead leads to another lead, so we’re getting close, but we’re not there yet. We do have a sense of who we are looking for, but we are still trying to connect all the dots,” Ramos told FOX 5.
The fifth grader’s aunt, Brittani Johnson, said her nephew was a good kid and student who enjoyed playing basketball and football.
“We are confused. We want answers, and we just want to know what’s going on with D’Mari,” Johnson said. “Please, somebody come forward and bring justice to our family.”
Shean Williams, the family’s attorney and partner with Cochran Firm in Atlanta, addressed the media during a press conference on Monday.
Williams explained that Johnson has been in a medically-induced coma, “literally fighting for his life every day.”
While the family’s primary focus is “finding out and bringing to justice” those responsible for shooting Johnson, they call for daily updates on the ongoing investigation.
In the press conference, Williams revealed that the establishment where Johnson was shot is a “place that has a history of issues and violence.”
“The circumstances that led to his shooting, we believe, are at the sole responsibility of not only the shooter but Golden Glide,” he said.
He has called on the CEO of DeKalb County, Michael Thurmond, District Attorney Sherry Boston, and the DeKalb County Police Department to be more transparent in the investigation and take action by closing down the skating rink until they can provide safety for the community.
“It’s a nuisance and danger for our kids and families. We are asking that it be shut down until there can be some absurdities that our kids and families can go to the skating rink and come home safely,” he said.
“Every lead leads to another lead, so we’re getting close, but we’re not there yet. We do have a sense of who we are looking for, but we are still trying to connect all the dots,” Ramos told FOX 5.
On April 13, Dr. Rashad Richey, a university professor and radio show host, announced a $10,000 reward on his show, hoping there would be an outpour of leads to an arrest.
“When it comes to children, everybody should be on the same page about how this type of violence cannot be tolerated on any level. I’m not just asking law-abiding people to speak up. I’m asking the criminals, the drug dealers and folks who couldn’t care less about doing the right thing to do the right thing because this is something everybody should be outraged by, said Dr. Richey, who used to skate at Golden Glide as a teen.
“We’re praying the 11-year-old victim is healed and praying for the gunman, who is believed to be a young man because he also needs help.”