A deadly shooting in Austell on Friday morning left a 16-year-old girl dead and resulted in murder charges against a 57-year-old man.
The Details: According to the Cobb County Police, at around 9:24 a.m. on September 6, patrol officers responded to reports of gunfire at a residence on Fringe Flower Drive. Upon arrival, they found Alejandro Mario Bencomo Aguilar, 57, with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. As officers approached him, Aguilar attempted to stab himself with a knife.
Inside the home, officers discovered a 16-year-old girl upstairs suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite immediate efforts to get her to emergency medical personnel nearby, she was later pronounced dead.
Aguilar was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for surgery and is now in stable condition.
According to police, Aguilar is in a relationship with the teen’s mother and all of them were believed to be living in the home together.
Charges Filed: Following a detailed investigation by the Major Crimes Unit, Aguilar was charged with murder, aggravated assault, and first-degree cruelty to children. Authorities have confirmed Aguilar was responsibile for the shooting, though no motive has been released.
What’s Next: The investigation is ongoing, and police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the Major Crimes Unit at (770) 499-3945.