Waycross Father Prepares to Bury Son Shot by Pellet Gun

WAYCROSS, Ga. -- Mitchell Maxwell is planning the funeral for his 11-year-old son. Police say the boy, known as DJ, was shot and killed by a friend playing with a pellet gun last Friday.

DJ's father said police told him the boy who shot his son would not be charged but Maxwell said someone needs to be held accountable for his son's death.

"My son is gone. I have to pick out a casket to bury my son in," said Maxwell. "(The boy who shot my son) is still running around like everything is fine. That is not right."

Maxwell said DJ and two other boys were at the house of their football coach for a sleepover. Maxwell has a lot of questions, some that are being answered by a detective with the Ware County Sheriff's Department.

"The child that shot my son, took it off safety stuck it to his chest and pulled the trigger. Their version is, they didn't know the gun had anything in it," said Maxwell, recounting the detective's information.

Maxwell was saddened to learn from police that the children at the sleepover did not tell any adults his son was shot, until it was too late, he said.

"The paramedics got there and they thought he had an asthma attack. They never told him he was shot. They didn't find out (he was shot) until he was deceased," said Maxwell.

Maxwell believes his son's death was an accident, but said the child or the parent of the child who shot his son should be held accountable.

The Maxwell family is planning DJ's funeral for Saturday afternoon.

Calls and emails to the Ware County sheriff and district attorney on Monday evening were not returned.

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