Nine injured ,including a boy, 5, in gas station shooting

Nine teens and children — including a 5-year-old boy — were injured in a shooting at a Georgia gas station, according to police.

The bullets flew about 10 p.m. Friday at a Shell station in Columbus, Ga., a city south of Atlanta on the Alabama border.

Columbus Police Chief Freddie Blackmon said Saturday that a fight appeared to have spilled over from a nearby party to the gas station. He said the 5-year-old happened to be at the station with a family member.

Blackmon said the case was still being investigated and would not comment on whether there were multiple shooters. No arrests have been made.

In addition to the 5-year-old, the victims were identified by Columbus police as a 12-year-old boy; two 13-year-old girls; a 13-year-old boy; a 14-year-old boy; two 15-year-old boys; and a 17-year-old boy.

The victims were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries and four had been released from the hospital by Saturday afternoon, Blackmon.

“The rash of gun violence involving our youth is impacting communities across the country. While Columbus is not immune to these incidents, I want to assure citizens that the men and women of CPD are tirelessly working to get violent offenders off our streets,” Blackmon said in an earlier statement.

He added “It is going to take a community effort to combat gun violence in our city. The entire village has a responsibility because incidents like this impact all of us.”