Boy, 10, stable after being shot in the chest at southeast Atlanta home

Atlanta police investigating a shooting on Ruzelle Drive that left a 10-year-old in critical condition on February 8, 2026. 

A 10-year-old boy is fighting for his life after being shot in the chest at a southeast Atlanta home early Sunday morning. 

What we know:

Atlanta police are searching for three suspects who allegedly left the scene of the shooting in a silver sedan.

Officers responded to the home in the 100 block of Ruzelle Drive SE around 6:45 a.m. for a shots-fired call.

When they arrived, they found the boy suffering from a gunshot wound in his chest. Police immediately applied a chest seal and took the book to Grady Hospital in a patrol vehicle. The boy underwent surgery and is stable.

Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from an escalating dispute between two parties.

Although police say the shooting was targeted, the 10-year-old was not the intended target.

According to police, there were at least four children under the age of 10 inside the home when the shooting happened.

An investigation is ongoing. 

What we don't know:

Police have not said whether the shooter or shooters have any connection to the child who was shot.

It is also unclear who the intended target of the shooting was.

Investigators are still working to determine what the dispute was over. 

The Source: Information in this report comes from the Atlanta Police Department. 

AtlantaCrime and Public SafetyNews