ATLANTA – An Atlanta elementary school student remains in critical condition after being shot in the head earlier this week. 

What we know:

The victim has been identified as 11-year-old Messiah Heard, a fourth-grader at KIPP WAYS Academy, who is described by educators and classmates as a bright, joyful child who brought energy and love to every room he entered.

ORIGINAL STORY: 11-year-old boy critically injured in shooting at Atlanta apartment complex

The shooting occurred Tuesday evening at the Square at Peoplestown Apartments on Hank Aaron Drive. 

According to Atlanta Police, Messiah was shot inside his home around 6 p.m. but have not released details about how the shooting happened or whether a suspect has been identified.

Messiah is currently hospitalized at the Arthur M. Blank Children’s Hospital in Atlanta. 

What they’re saying:

School officials say his mother and grandmother are at his bedside, along with the school’s principal, who is providing support to the family during this crisis.

“He was so vibrant and energetic, charismatic and just so loving. The whole school loved him. He was an amazing kid,” said Dr. Travis Barber, a mentor at KIPP WAYS Academy through the One Mo Question Men’s Leadership Program.

The tragedy comes just weeks after the school community mourned the death of another fourth grader, A’Erica Dixon, who was killed when a tree fell on her home during a recent storm.

Tree falls on Atlanta home, kills 10-year-old girl in the middle of the night

What’s next:

KIPP WAYS has brought in grief counselors and therapists to support students, staff, and families as they cope with the emotional toll of the recent tragedies. Friends and loved ones of Messiah are holding out hope for a miracle and continue to pray for his recovery.

Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Substitute Jamal Thiaré scored in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to lift Atlanta into a 1-1 draw with Austin on Wednesday night.

Thiaré tapped in after Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver failed to stop an attempt by Saba Lobjanidze and Thiaré beat the Austin defenders to the ball for the equalizer.

Brandon Vazquez scored on a free kick early in the second half to give Austin a 1-0 lead. Vázquez scored from free kick with a right-footed shot from the central position outside the box to the upper right central zone.

Austin’s Stuver had four saves and Brad Guzan saved five shots for Atlanta.

Each team had three shots on goal in the scoreless first half. Austin had a possession percentage of 57%.

The match was the first of three home matches in eight days for Austin, two in the league and one in the U.S. Open Cup.

Austin (5-6-2, 17 points) hosts Vancouver on Saturday.

Atlanta (2-6-5, 11 points) hosts Philadelphia on Saturday. ___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

ATLANTA – The family of a Gwinnett County teenager is suing the city of Atlanta and a former Atlanta police officer over what they say is a history of ignoring sexual predators within the Atlanta Police Department.

The lawsuit stems from the 2023 arrest of Officer Anthony Anderson after he reportedly forced the 16-year-old to give him oral sex while she was recovering from an earlier car crash.

The backstory:

Police say Anderson met the girl while responding to a single-car crash early in the morning of Aug. 2, 2023. Investigators with the Atlanta Police Department’s Special Victims Unit said the assault happened after his shift later that day.

In the lawsuit, the family alleges that Anderson called off medical personnel who were responding to the scene, took the girl in his squad car to a nearby gas station, and then picked her up after he clocked out of work.

“Under the pretense of offering to drive her home, Anderson took a detour, drove to a secluded section of roadway to avoid detection, and forced Plaintiff Z.A. to perform oral sex 
upon him,” the lawsuit reads.

After the assault, Anderson dropped the girl off in front of her parents’ home.

The 16-year-old reported the assault her guidance counselor to Gwinnett County police later that day. That started the investigation that eventually ended with Anderson’s arrest.

Anthony L. Anderson  (Atlanta Police Department)

“Not only am I disturbed and disappointed by these allegations, but it also angers me,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said after the arrest. “We ask the public to trust us to do the right thing, to keep them safe. So, when one of our own is accused of despicable acts with a minor, it erodes that trust that sometimes takes years to build.  You can be assured, I will act swiftly to investigate anytime allegations of misconduct are brought to my attention. I want to thank the Atlanta Police Department’s criminal investigation division for their prompt action in dealing with this matter.”

Anderson was charged with oath of office, cruelty to children, aggravated sexual battery, and aggravated sodomy. After pleading guilty to improper sexual conduct by an employee or agent, making false statements, concealing facts, and violating his oath earlier this year, he was sentenced to six years in prison.

Police records show Anderson had been with the department since March 2016.

What they’re saying:

As part of the lawsuit, attorneys accused the Atlanta Police Department of negligent hiring practices and of handling instances of sexual misconduct by officers internally.

“The overwhelming rate at which APD officers engage in sexual misconduct while on the job is the result of negligent hiring, training, supervision and promotions, creating a laissez-faire attitude within the APD that assaulting, battering, falsely imprisoning, and raping civilians was—and still is—acceptable, reinforced, and encouraged.” the lawsuit reads.

As part of their argument, the complaint names multiple officers starting in 2004 who were charged with sexual assault and rape. 

The latest case referenced was in 2024 and involves a former APD officer who is facing charges of enticing a child for indecent purposes in Richmond County.

In that case, a spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Department says Benjamin Travis Hopson had been “relieved from duty and placed in a non-enforcement, administrative assignment on May 18, 2023,” but the reasons were not specified.

“As alleged/ herein, sexual misconduct by APD officers is neither novel nor rare and is rather reflective of a history, pattern, practice, and de facto policy within the APD,” the lawsuit reads.

The family’s lawyers also accuse the city of failing to properly supervise officers after repeated violations and of concealing investigation from the public.

What’s next:

The lawsuit said that the teen’s life had “fallen to pieces” after her experience with Anderson, leading her to need “significant professional and psychological support and intervention” as she prepares to graduate.

They are asking for a jury trial and damages, including attorney fees.