DEKALB COUNTY, GA — A Thursday afternoon dispute between middle school students turned fatal when 13-year-old Derron Woody was gunned down near Glenwood Road, sending shockwaves through the DeKalb Alternative School community. Authorities confirmed another student is in custody as investigators piece together how a teenage conflict escalated to gun violence.
The tragedy unfolded around 4:30 p.m. when officers responding to reports of gunfire found Woody bleeding from a gunshot wound in the 4800 block of Glenwood Road—just blocks from school property. Despite rapid transport to a nearby hospital, the eighth grader succumbed to his injuries. His grieving father told reporters Woody was “running for his life” when shot, while classmates described hearing an argument before the fatal gunshot rang out.
DeKalb Alternative School Principal Terrence Harvey mobilized crisis counselors Friday to help traumatized students process the loss of their classmate, remembered as a bright student who loved video games and basketball. Heartbreaking photos circulated on social media showing Woody beaming in his 2023 fifth-grade graduation gown—a stark contrast to the makeshift memorial of stuffed animals and candles now growing at the shooting site.
Police have questioned a fellow student but haven’t filed charges pending ballistic tests and witness interviews. The case highlights Georgia’s surge in youth gun violence, with CDC data showing firearm deaths now the leading killer of state teens. Community activists point to Glenwood Road’s history of unsupervised teen gatherings where disputes often turn violent.
As Woody’s family prepares funeral arrangements through Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home, their GoFundMe has surpassed $15,000—a testament to the community’s outrage. DeKalb County Schools announced new after-school monitoring measures, while police urge tipsters to text anonymous leads via Tip411 (text DKPD + tip to 847411).
