MACON, Ga. — A Macon teen was shot and killed overnight Monday. Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones says 16-year-old Derrick Putmon was found dead in the street while deputies were checking on a ShotSpotter alert.
Derrick Putmon is one of five young men under the age of 20 who have been killed since 2023 began. The Bibb County Sheriff's Office says the alert came in around 2 a.m. Monday morning from the 600 block of Williams Street in south Macon. Deputy Coroner Lonnie Miley pronounced the teen dead just before 4 a.m.
"When I woke up and heard that this morning, I just didn't believe it because it was too close," said Elnora Carswell.
Carswell lives near the spot where the young man was found. She's lived in the neighborhood for more than 65 years. She remembers how it used to be.
"A lot of good people -- we had a lot of good kids. Everybody respected everybody," Carswell said.
But now, she says, "It breaks my heart to see them just killing each other like that, like they ain't have no life or something."
According to Bibb County Schools, Putmon attended SOAR Academy but withdrew in January.
"It's sad, really -- our young people, if they don't let the older people or somebody convince them that life is nothing to play with and joke around, people with guns," she said.
Carswell says it starts at home.
"Lock one up in the jail, the parent goes down raising, saying, 'You locked my child up.' Where were you when your child was out there and you didn't know where he was at?" Carswell said.
She hopes to see a change
"You got all these programs trying to help them, but I don't see nobody out there helping the kids that need help," said Carswell.
This shooting is still under investigation. Anyone with information can call Macon Regional CrimeStoppers at 1-877-68-CRIME.