| WSB News |
Child Shot, Killed in Church By Stray Bullet
(WSB Radio) A tragedy on New Year's Eve at a church in Decatur. Pastor Lloyd Phipps of the Church of God of Prophecy on Covington Drive, tells WSB about 400 people were attending a New Year's Eve service and were waiting to listen to a concert when a child was shot to death.
"People were moving around, talking with each other, wishing each Happy New Year, when all of a sudden someone heard a pop. A bullet came through the roof the building and hit four-year-old Marquel Peters in the head," said Phipps.
The child, who was sitting next to his mother and cousin, was playing Nintendo when he was struck.
He was rushed to a hospital where he died a few hours later.
"It is very difficult and the family is struggling right now. But we are trusting the Lord, knowing that He is able to comfort and he's able to strenghten us and take us through this," said Phipps.
He says the child was the life of the party. "He would meet at the church and high-five and hug. He's very involved in the children's ministry of the church. He loves to hang around the musicians and was interested in playing music. He was fun-loving, all around wonderful guy," said Phipps.
They suspect it was someone firing a gun to ring in the new year, since shots were heard blocks away.
"We are hoping that someone would know something or will see something, or will know who was out there celebrating and they will call the police or the church. We'd like to find out exactly who did this to see if we can make some sense out of this nonsense," said Phipps.
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What others are saying
- You all have to realize that a bullet is never fired straight up to the point where it has 0m/s velocity. It is always fired at an angled trajectory no matter how obtuse that angle is. So it will never go straight up and reach terminal velocity, instead it will fall with increasing speed due to the kinetic energy it lost on the way up (which is attributed to wind resistance) to compensate for total mechanical energy lost. So yes it can pierce through the roof and all other insulation if it is shot at a rather optimal angle. It was just unfortunate that this bullet found its way to the church. Rest in Peace.
- bulletHey mr. bullet you are wrong. they have discovered that the termial velocity of a "falling" bullet is lethal. This story is not proof enough to you?
- As a parent, my heart aches for Marquel's mother and family. All over the country, people have been getting hit with New years eve bullets. Can we please stop this! How many more have to get hurt or die for nothing?
- Stray bulletIf anyone is every charged with this unfortunate matter, some of you would go back to your some old ways; like sitting around doing nothing. So, is it going to change or is this "Change You Can Believe In" hopeless.
- BulletA falling bullet should not penetrate a roof. It has expended it's energy and is just falling. I don't know the details but something don't seem right here. I am reading the stories and trying to make sense of this.
- God bless Marquel PetersI get the whole 'no snitchin' thing but if it's over an innocent person getting killed by some clown with a gun then it ISN'T SNITCHIN'! Wake up and turn this person in ASAP!!!
- really?i know that my knowledge of physics is extremely limited, so i need help in understanding this. Assuming a bullet is fired in towards the sky, can it come down with enough force to pierce the asphalt roofing, the plywood underlayment, insulation, and the sheetrock ceiling, and still have enough force to kill a person? I do realize the boy was only 4, which would make him vulnerable. If this is the case, then people shouldnt shoot guns in the air. we should legalize fireworks. my condolences to the family.
- Stray bullet-stupid street punksVery sad story.A innocent child is now dead because of street punks that do not care about the consquences of there actions.Mingos buddies at work.
- Can we finally...crack down on people who do this like the public menaces they are, including making them spend at least a night in jail and permanently confiscating the weapon.
Several years ago I was standing outside after midnight on New Year's Eve and had a couple bullets whiz past my head. That's a unique sound--and experience--you don't soon forget. (Ironically, it was Y2K and I stayed home for "safety concerns").
I called the De Kalb police and the responding officer--asking no questions, taking no information, etc.--said I should just stay inside next time. I wanted to tell him he could shove his baton where the sun didn't shine, but I refrained.
(FYI--for those inclined to say "what do you expect in De Kalb", I will point out that, ten years ago, this sort of thing was still a fairly new phenomena, at least in the Stone Mtn area.)
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