11-year-old killed at home in Paulding County shooting

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - An 11-year-old boy was shot to death late Monday night. Paulding County deputies said he was at home when it happened.

Shareeda Alexander Dorsey, her husband, and 9 of their 13 children were in their Paulding County home Monday night when they heard banging on their backdoor, then gunfire.

"We heard gunshots. I told my kids to get down and I just started calling 911," said Alexander-Dorsey.

Bullets pierced the walls of the house in the Smallwood Farms subdivision. One of those bullets hit 11-year-old Zander Whatley.

"He actually got hit downstairs running up the steps when a bullet came through and hit him on the side," said Alexander-Dorsey.

Officials were called to the Ruth Way home where Zander was found wounded. He was rushed to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Possible motive for deadly shooting of 11-year-old boy

The family believes the shooter may have some connection to one of Zand's older siblings.

"He's friends with two of the guys. The guy who came and shot the house. He was mad because our son is friends with the other guy, he was mad at," said William Dorsey, Zander's stepfather.

"You gotta be really bold to do something like that. What they need to do is put the guns down? Think for a minute, you're not going to get away with something like that," said Paul Alexander, Zander's grandfather.

As investigators try to track down those responsible, the family is grieving the loss of Zander. He was a fifth grader at Hutchens Elementary School.

"Zander was a happy kid. He's in student council. He loved going to school.  He loved to sing. He loved the Lord, he was a great kid," said Dorsey.

The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia Bureau of Investigation are looking for any information that will lead them to a suspect and an arrest.

Tips can be relayed anonymously via the Paulding Sheriff’s Office tip line at 770-443-3047, or via the Paulding Sheriff’s Office mobile app.