17-year-old doing yard work is fatally shot in head, Georgia cops say
A 17-year-old boy shot in the head while “working hard to beautify the community in which he loved” has died, Georgia police and the teen’s family told news outlets.
Officers were called around 8 p.m. Saturday, July 19, about a shooting at a home “just outside the Jonesboro city limits,” WXIA reported, citing the Clayton County Police Department.
They discovered a teen who had been shot in the head, police told the station.
Medics rushed him to a hospital where he died, WAGA reported July 21, citing the county medical examiner’s office. Authorities identified him as Darrico Weir.
A GoFundMe page for the family identified him as DaRicco, though they called him “Moo Moo.”
He “was a bright, compassionate, and a hard-working young soul with so much promise,” his family wrote. “His smile could light up a room, and his heart was full of kindness.”
McClatchy News reached out to Clayton County police for more information and was awaiting a response.
“At this time, there is no suspect information and the motive for the shooting is unknown,” police told WSB-TV in a statement.
The teen’s cousin, Danaijah Hairston, said he was cleaning gutters on a home when he was fatally shot, WXIA reported. She said he was working alongside two other kids from the neighborhood.
DaRicco ran his own lawn care business, providing services to his neighbors and offering work to other kids in his neighborhood, according to the GoFundMe.
“It’s heartbreaking, it’s unreal, it still doesn’t feel real for any of us,” Hairston told WXIA. “We’re just trying to, you know, depend on each other and make it through.”
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
“We appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation as we work to gather all pertinent details,” a police spokesperson told McClatchy News.
Jonesboro is about a 20-mile drive south from downtown Atlanta.
Gun violence in the U.S.
Thousands of people die every year from firearm injuries in the U.S.. as gun-related injuries “continue to be a significant public health problem” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 2022, firearm related injuries were among the leading causes of death in people ages 1-44, the public health agency reported.
Experts say the impact of gun violence often stretches beyond victims and their families.
“Shooting incidents, including those in homes, schools, houses of worship, or workplaces, shopping areas, on the street or at community events can affect the sense of safety and security of entire communities and impact everyday decisions,” officials said.
This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 4:25 PM with the headline "17-year-old doing yard work is fatally shot in head, Georgia cops say."