A tragic incident unfolded at a Paulding County apartment complex last Sunday when police say a woman, Daniele McDowell, is accused of stabbing her son, Khalil Wigfall, to death before she was subsequently shot and killed by officers. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, officers arrived at the Columns Apartment Complex around 1:15 p.m. after reports of a bloody altercation.
Dashcam video footage sent by resident Wayne Cheek shows McDowell sitting next to her son's body prior to the police arrival. As the situation escalated, officers tried to subdue McDowell with a taser, but it was ineffective. Reports from WSB-TV indicate that when she approached them with the knife, officers responded by shooting her. McDowell was transported to a hospital where she died, and her son was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Hiram High School community has been rocked by the loss of 17-year-old Khalil Wigfall, whose principal, Darius Hodge, extended his deepest condolences to the student's family and friends. Hodge provides support resources for grieving students and guidance for parents in helping their children cope with the traumatic news.
Compounding the tragedy are reports from family members saying McDowell was a U.S. Army veteran struggling with mental health issues. "She did not have to go out this way," McDowell's cousin, Temicka Goodman, told WSB-TV. "Why did you have to shoot her instead of de-escalating the situation?" Goodman added. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is now leading an inquiry into the incident, though the identities of the involved officers have not been released.
