<body><div><div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox" scrolling="no" src="https://uw-media.usatoday.com/embed/video/7310107001?placement=newsbreak" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div><p> Police on Monday continued to&nbsp;search for a motive in a shooting that left&nbsp;nine children injured&nbsp;at a Georgia gas station. </p><p> The victims, whose names were not released, ranged in age from 5 to 17, Columbus Police Department Police Chief Freddie Blackmon said.&nbsp;The shooting took place late Friday night in Columbus,&nbsp;about 110 miles&nbsp;southwest of Atlanta and about 85 miles&nbsp;east of Montgomery, Alabama. </p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p> Seven males and two females were hurt, the chief told reporters during a news conference on Saturday. </p><p> None of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, Blackmon said. </p><p> According to an incident report obtained by USA TODAY on Monday, after police responded to the scene, detectives learned at least one of the&nbsp;juveniles, a 13-year-old male,&nbsp;had also suffered broken bones. </p><p> A motive in the shooting was not immediately known by police, the report shows. </p><p><strong> New Orleans parade shooting: </strong><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/20/new-orleans-parade-shooting-mardi-gras/11303278002/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Five&nbsp;shot, one fatally, during run-up to Mardi Gras </a></p><p><strong> Live Ukraine updates: </strong><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2023/02/20/ukraine-russia-war-live-updates/11303271002/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Biden in Kyiv, Japan rolls out aid and Putin faces 'people's court' </a></p><h2 class="presto-h2"> What we know about police response: </h2><ul><li> Officers from the department responded at about 10 p.m. </li><li> Police found multiple gunshot victims amid a large group of people outside the&nbsp;Shell gas station just off Highway 27. </li><li> At least four of the victims&nbsp;were discharged from hospitals where they were treated&nbsp;as of Saturday. </li><li> As of Monday, no arrests had been made in the case. </li></ul><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><h2 class="presto-h2"> The victims: </h2><p> The victims of the shooting were identified as seven males&nbsp;– ages 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 15 and 17&nbsp;– and two females, both 13. </p><h2 class="presto-h2"> How the shooting transpired </h2><p> The chief said police believe an altercation took place at a party nearby and it spilled over to the gas station when the shooting began. </p><p> Blackmon said the 5-year-old victim was at the gas station with a family member and was not at the particular location where the party took place. </p><p> The incident remained under investigation on Monday, police said. </p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0Nlotd_0ktRakgl00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0Nlotd_0ktRakgl00" width="1020" height="753" ><figcaption>Columbus Police Department Police Chief Freddie Blackmon addresses the media after nine children ages 5 to 17 were shot at a gas station on February 17, 2023. Columbus Police Department </figcaption></figure><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p> Blackmon said detectives have spoken with witnesses, some of whom are cooperating – while others are not. </p><p> “I am committed to assuring you that we will find the person or persons responsible for this senseless crime,” he said. "Incidents like this, really impact all of us." </p><p> “I encourage anyone with information to contact police. I encourage parents whose child was injured in this incident to make sure that any information they share with them is shared with police. We will work around the clock to resolve this case,” Blackmon said. </p><p><strong> California bishop killed: </strong><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/19/los-angeles-catholic-bishop-david-oconnell-fatally-shot/11300143002/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Los Angeles Catholic auxiliary bishop found fatally shot; homicide investigation underway </a></p><p> During the news conference, the chief did not say whether detectives have pinpointed any suspects. </p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p> “I’m so grateful to God that we didn’t have anyone lose their life,” Mayor B.H. “Skip” Henderson III said. “I’m tired of seeing folks having a disagreement or argument or maybe even a fistfight who then think they have to reach for a gun. That’s just got to stop. We’ve got to find a way in the community to reclaim our young people.” </p><h2 class="presto-h2"> Incident marks 82nd&nbsp;mass shooting in US this year </h2><p> The Georgia shooting <a href="https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass-shooting" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> marked the 82nd&nbsp;mass shooting </a> so far this year in the United States, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive, which <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/06/05/mass-shooting-defined-meaning/7481731001/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> defines a mass shooting </a> as one with four or more victims, not including the shooter. </p><p><strong> What is a mass shooting? </strong><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/06/05/mass-shooting-defined-meaning/7481731001/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> There's no consensus definition, but here's what you should know </a></p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p> Last year, the U.S. saw 647 mass shootings. </p><p></p><iframe height="1050" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/experiments/storytelling-embed/master/mass-killings-2022-wrapup/year-lines.html" width="100%"></iframe><p><em> Contributing: Associated Press </em></p><p><em> Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/nataliealund" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> @nataliealund </a> . </em></p><p><em> This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/20/nine-children-shot-georgia-gas-station-columbus/11303328002/" rel="nofollow"> Nine children, ages 5 to 17, shot at Georgia gas station; police investigating </a></em></p></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

The victims ranged in age from 5 to 17. Seven males and two females were hurt after gunfire broke out at the Columbus, Georgia, gas station.