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'We will find them': Warner Robins elementary-schooler killed in drive-by shooting

Captain Jon Holland says one of the bullets fired in the drive-by hit 8-year-old Jermarrion Cherry in the head.

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The hunt is on Monday night for whoever shot and killed an 8-year-old Warner Robins in a drive-by shooting.

Broken glass, bullet holes, and a blue shoe remain as reminders of Friday night's tragedy.

"When I was sitting there watching the TV, I heard some shots. They were like 'Bang, bang, bang, bang,' and then I didn't come out. The only reason I came out, I seen police over here," Wendall Tharp said.

Tharp said Friday night around 9 p.m., Virginia Dare Drive got busy.

Tharp said, "When I asked them what happened, they said, 'Someone got shot up there.' I said, 'Man, god-darn!'"

Someone fired nearly a dozen shots at the home. Captain Jon Holland with the Houston County Sheriff's Office says one of those bullets hit 8-year-old Jermarrion Cherry in the head.

Holland said, "There was no reason for somebody to ride down that residential street and fire indiscriminately into a house and a vehicle. There's just no excuse. It's senseless."

Several small children were in a Hyundai Accent by the front yard, waiting to leave the house with an adult. Jermarrion died Monday morning. No one else was hurt.

"My advice to the people involved, I don't know what they knew or why they shot this home up and shot and killed this child, but somebody in that car better find us before we find them," Holland.

Tharp said, "It's messed up now. It sure is, but, you know, a bullet really got no name on it."

Holland says several people were in the car when it drove by.

"We're not going to stop looking for them. We will find them, and hopefully we will have closure for this family," Holland said.

Tharp said, "It's bad. It's really bad, to tell you the truth, with a young kid like that. It's real bad."

Jermarrion Cherry was on spring this week, so 13WMAZ wasn't able to get a statement from the Houston County School District. We do not know where he was heading.

Investigators did not release a description of the shooter's vehicle, but a neighbor says he thinks they saw a gray Ford Focus speeding away.

Jermarrion Cherry attended C.B. Watson Primary School, but the school is on spring break this week. Holland says they plan to offer a reward for information on the case. If you know anything, call Macon Regional Crimestoppers at 1-877-68CRIME.

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