Teen Injured in Valdosta Shooting; Rifle Found at Scene Was Reported Stolen

VALDOSTA, Ga. — Police are investigating a shooting that left a teenager critically injured and a nearby home riddled with gunfire late Friday night.

According to the Valdosta Police Department, officers responded around 11:35 p.m. on April 24, 2026, to the 1000 block of East Gordon Street after multiple 911 calls reporting gunshots.

While canvassing the area, officers found a 17-year-old male in the yard of a residence in the 900 block of East Gordon Street suffering from a gunshot wound to the torso. A rifle was located near him.

Officers provided first aid until personnel with the Valdosta Fire Department and South Georgia Medical Center EMS arrived. The teen was transported to South Georgia Medical Center and later transferred to a hospital in Florida for further treatment. He is listed in stable but critical condition.

During the response, a 19-year-old and a 20-year-old resident of a nearby home in the 1000 block of East Gordon Street told officers their house had been struck by gunfire. No injuries were reported at that location, but investigators found multiple bullet holes in the exterior of the home.

Detectives and crime scene personnel processed the scene and determined the rifle recovered near the injured teen had been reported stolen from a vehicle the previous day.

Police said the case remains under active investigation, and no additional details have been released.