Leemarkese Melson wanted by Georgia police after 6 year old girl accidentally shoots 4 year old sister in the face after coming across unattended weapon.
Georgia police are looking for a 28-year-old man they believe left a loaded weapon within reach of a 6-year-old child, who picked up the gun to play with it only to accidentally shoot her 4-year-old sister in the face.
The little girl is reported to be in critical but stable condition after she was transported from Columbus to Egleston Children’s Hospital in Atlanta, WRBL reported.
Leemarkese Deangelo Melson, 28, a convicted felon reportedly fled with the gun after the shooting CBS46 reports.
The gun went off after the 6 year old girl came across the unattended weapon left inside a home on Kelley Street, at LaGrange, around 2:00 p.m on May 18.
Police report that Melson is a convicted felon wanted for two counts of violation of probation and one count of failure to appear Fox 5 reports.
WANTED:
4 year-old accidentally shot in the face by a 6 year-old in LaGrange…Leemarkese Melson on the run for leaving the gun out and more. See Melson’s picture below. pic.twitter.com/Yt8GhRQpP5— CBS46 (@cbs46) May 19, 2020
How did previously convicted felon come across gun?
Melson is now wanted on additional charges of cruelty to a child in the 2nd degree, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and tampering with evidence.
Police were called to one location, and while they were en route received a second call about an injured child at a convenience store nearby. The investigation revealed they were the same incident; the child had been shot at the first location and taken to the convenience store.
EMTs initially took the girl to a hospital in Columbus, about 45 miles south of LaGrange, and she was later flown to Atlanta.
Not immediately clear is how the previously convicted man came to acquire the weapon.
Anyone with information about Melson is asked to contact 911, or Troup County Crimestoppers at (706) 812-1000.
