Atlanta police have arrested a 55-year-old man in connection with a shooting that left a young boy wounded by a stray bullet late Friday night. The incident occurred in the Ormewood Park neighborhood of southeast Atlanta, where a dispute between individuals reportedly escalated into gunfire within a residential complex.
Officers were dispatched to the Trestletree Village Apartments, situated in the 900 block of Trestletree Court SE, at approximately 11:32 p.m. following reports of a person shot. Upon their arrival, investigators discovered that a young child had been struck in the hand by a bullet.
Emergency medical services treated the boy at the scene before transporting him to a local hospital for further care. At the time of his transport, authorities confirmed that the victim was awake and breathing. While the injury was confined to his hand, the child’s exact age and name have not been released by officials as the investigation continues.
According to preliminary reports from the Atlanta Police Department, the shooting was not an intentional act directed at the child. Instead, investigators believe an argument broke out in the area between several individuals, leading to the discharge of a firearm. The boy was hit by a stray round as the confrontation unfolded in the vicinity of the apartment buildings.
The suspect, identified as 55-year-old Willie Stroud, was taken into custody shortly after the incident and has been charged in connection with the shooting. While police have confirmed his arrest, they have not yet detailed the specific criminal counts filed against him or what initially sparked the dispute.
Forensic investigators remained at the Trestletree Court scene into the early hours of Saturday morning to collect evidence. No other injuries were reported in the wake of the gunfire. Stroud remains in custody, and the case is still under active investigation by the department’s aggravated assault unit.
