Troup County man, believed to have been injured in a fall, was actually shot

Co-workers found man shot in home

We are learning more about a shooting in Troup County that has left a man in critical condition.

MOUNTVILLE, Ga. - A 47-year-old man is in critical condition after being found shot in the head inside his Troup County home early Monday morning, authorities said.

Shooting of Dawendell White

What we know:

The Troup County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to the Mountville community, near the Meriwether County line, after a 911 call reported a man injured in a fall. 

When deputies arrived, they found Dawendell White lying on the floor of his home.

Co-workers discovered White after he failed to show up for work, prompting them to check on him at his home. 

Troup County sheriff investigates shooting

What they're saying:

"At first, the call came in as a fall," Lt. Stewart Smith of the Troup County Sheriff’s Office said. "It just appeared that he did not fall. Plus they got there and a door was open. And so that was their first clue that maybe he left it open. Maybe he did. When they got there and they found him unresponsive, they thought maybe somebody entered the home or left and shut the door or something like that. So that was kind of their first clear that something was not normal at the house."

Deputies said White was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, where an X-ray confirmed he had been shot in the head.

Investigators said they have been working the case since Monday morning and do not believe there is any danger to the community — a statement that can indicate the victim may have known the shooter.

What you can do:

Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Troup County Sheriff’s Office.