A Georgia father was forced to turn in his teenage son to police. Teen Lequan Stephens allegedly shot a juvenile in a car, injuring him. The severity of the victim’s injuries are currently unknown. Although Stephens already faces assault charges, that would likely change if the juvenile he shot dies as a result of his injuries. After the shooting, Stephens left the scene, which caused law enforcement to put out a statement warning people to be on the lookout for the teen and to stay away from him.
Once multiple law enforcement agencies got involved, they made it clear that the teen couldn’t be protected, prompting his family to deliver him to police.
On January 17, 2026, officers from the Lovejoy Police Department were notified about a shooting, the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office shared in a January 20 news release. When they arrived, they found a juvenile who had been shot in the face and neck in the front passenger seat of a car.
“The suspect fired into the vehicle, striking the victim, and then fled the scene,” the release noted.
In a Facebook post on January 17, the sheriff’s office identified 16-year-old Lequan Stephens as the suspect, calling him “armed and dangerous.” Stephens was wanted for aggravated assault and criminal damage to property, the post noted. The sheriff’s office also shared that additional felony charges were “pending.”
According to WSB-TV, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation also secured warrants against the teen in connection with an unrelated shooting.
“A coordinated strategic plan was implemented involving multiple law enforcement agencies, simultaneously executing operations at several residences associated with Stephens’ relatives and acquaintances,” the news release from the sheriff’s office read. “Law enforcement made it clear that Stephens had no place to hide and would receive no assistance.”
Lequan Stephens was turned in to authorities by his father on January 20. Currently, it is not known how badly the juvenile victim was hurt, WTVC reported. Exact charges against Stephens have not yet been released.
