[Decatur, GA] A 4-year-old boy, Marquel Peters, was shot and killed while in church at the Church of God of Prophecy, apparently by New Year’s Eve revelers. The circumstances that led to young Marquel Peters’ death are not uncommon on New Year’s Eve.The boy, playing with a video game, and his mother were waiting for a 12:30 a.m. concert to begin at Church of God of Prophecy near Decatur when Marquel was shot in the head by a stray bullet. Marquel was on the floor, crying and bleeding, when medics arrived, but he died later at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.
The child’s family has called for the person who fired the shot to come forward, but officials said it’s unlikely that person even knows what happened. And police are unlikely to find the shooter unless the bullet is traced to a gun recovered in another investigation.
Investigators discovered Friday the bullet had passed through the roof of the church. It’s not uncommon – though illegal -- for guns to be fired to mark the start of a new year.
Please be in prayer for this family.
