Wednesday, Apr. 19, 2023–4:20 a.m.

-John Bailey, Rome News-Tribune-

This story is possible because of a news-sharing agreement with the Rome News-Tribune. More information can be found at northwestgeorgianews.com.

Rome police are continuing to search for a person suspected of shooting a 15-year-old last week in an incident at Banty Jones Park.

“Investigators have good leads on the suspect and are still working the case,” Rome Police Department Assistant Chief Debbie Burnett said.

Police responded to 212 East 13th St. on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. after a call describing a shooter who was wearing black pants, a white shirt and a white mask and running north on Maple Street.

After some initial confusion whether or not someone had been shot, police searched the area. An officer found a silver 9mm shell casing under bleachers near the basketball courts but were having difficulty finding where the incident occurred.

Police were then informed that the teen had been rushed to Atrium Health Floyd and taken to the operating room in a private vehicle. At that point they collected items left by the victim including red athletic pants, a grey toboggan, a Rome High School neck gaiter and a pair of red, white and grey Nike shoes.

During that time an officer who was searching for the suspect was given “good information that (the suspect) was the shooter.”

As the investigation continued, police were given “information a shooter was on the northeast corner of the grass by Maple Street and shot into the crowd,” a police report stated.

Police found a brass 9mm shell casing in that area. A resident also said two males fled through the back yard of an East 10th Street home shortly after the shooting.

Burnett confirmed that the wounded teen was in stable condition as of Monday afternoon.