Family identifies 2 children shot at apartment complex in DeKalb County

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Officials in DeKalb County say two children were shot overnight at an apartment complex.

The two children who were shot at the Artesian East Village apartments on Bouldercrest Road in DeKalb County were 6-year-old Justin Smith and 7-year-old Mia Robinson, according to family.

Mia was shot in the leg and Justin was shot in the stomach. They are both recovering from their injuries.

“Everybody is okay right now, they’re stable. My niece just got out of surgery. She is fine. My son is fine. He’s walking and talking and he’s ready to come home actually,” Jordan Smith said. “It will never be the same for my son or my niece. They experienced that and it was a traumatizing situation.”

“I was woken up out of my sleep by gunshots,” described a neighbor who heard the whole incident.

It happened just after 2 a.m. at the Artesian East Village apartments on the 1400 block of Bouldercrest Road near Glen Emerald Park.

“All I heard was, ‘What did you do? What did you do? We got to get out of here! We got to get out of here!’ And then more crying and screaming,” said a neighbor, who did not want to be named out of fear.

Smith recalls a barrage of bullets flying into his apartment early Thursday morning. He described it as a terrifying moment he will never forget.

“Out of nowhere shots get to ringing out,” Smith said. “Shots were going off; they were going through the room. I was yelling at everybody to get down. I reached for my wife’s gun out of her bag, and I returned fire.”

“I ran outside and banged on the first door right here and then I just came out and started screaming for help,” Smith said.

DeKalb Dispatch says both children were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.

“I stayed up praying, hoping they didn’t get their lives taken away because they’re still innocent kids, so I’m glad that they’re okay,” said the neighbor.

No arrests have been made at this time.

“They could come back. That’s my concern. And I’m very worried about being here right now,” said a neighbor.

The incident is under investigation.

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