Left: Preston Smith. Right: Steven Richardson. Middle: Zoey Price (Atlanta police).
Two Georgia teens shot into an Atlanta home after a beef with one of the people inside — but instead of hitting their intended target, the bullets killed a 7-year-old girl and injured her mother.
Preston Smith, 19, and Steven Richardson, 17, are charged with murder, attempted murder and three counts of aggravated assault in the shooting death of 7-year-old Zoey Price.
Cops responded shortly before 10 p.m. Feb. 24 for a report of a shooting at a home in the 2200 block of Tiger Flowers Dr. NW. They found Zoey and her mother suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were rushed to a hospital where doctors pronounced the girl dead. Her 44-year-old mother survived.
Atlanta Police Deputy Chief Prenzinna Spann told reporters Tuesday at a press conference that Smith and Zoey's brother were speaking on the phone when they got into an argument. Smith allegedly threatened to shoot up the brother's home. The defendant then picked up Richardson and they drove to the Price home where they opened fire as they drove by, Spann said.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said Zoey is "a little girl that should be here." He said family members described her as a bright and compassionate child.
"She was just a fun kid to be around," he said.
Zoey participated in the city's cheerleading and basketball programs.
"She was doing what kids her age do and what they're supposed to be doing, building friendships and growing up learning about teamwork," Dickens said. "Her life was cut short in an act of senseless violence. And that loss is not abstract. It is a chair that is going to be missing at the dinner table each night. It is an empty classroom seat next to her friends that are going to be mourning the loss with her teachers, her classmates and the rest of the school."
Richardson was arrested on Thursday while Smith turned himself in to police on Tuesday, cops said.
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