A Decatur teenager who was involved in a violent incident outside a skating rink has entered a guilty plea, according to DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. Cam’ron Mealing, who was 13 years old at the time of the shooting, has been convicted on multiple charges, including Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, and Armed Robbery, as DeKalb County District Attorney's Office reported.
On the night of April 9, 2022, officers responded to reports of a shooting at the Golden Glide Skating Rink. The police found a severely injured 11-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to his head. First responders rushed the young victim to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta where he survived but now lives with the long-lasting consequences. Witnesses and video evidence from the scene led to Mealing's identification as the culprit, after community tips post-news coverage of the crime. He was arrested on April 21, 2022, and has remained in custody at a youth detention center since that time.
Sentencing for the now 17-year-old concluded on the preceding day, following Mealing's admission of guilt on charges that stem from the night he not only caused severe harm to his juvenile victim but also committed armed robbery at a neighboring fast-food establishment. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Nora Polk presided over the plea hearing, with Mealing receiving a sentence of 15 years, and will serve 7 years in custody as specified by the plea agreement.
"This senseless shooting changed two young lives forever. I am hopeful that the victim and his family can now move forward with closure knowing Defendant Mealing took responsibility for his actions and begin held accountable,” said District Attorney Sherry Boston in a statement obtained by the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office. After serving time in a youth detention facility, Mealing is set to be transferred to an adult prison to carry out the remainder of his sentence.
The case was part of the Trial Division docket and was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Ryan Patrick with support from Assistant District Attorney Laura James, District Attorney Supervising Investigator Christopher Hollowood, and Victim Advocate Mariana Salgado. The initial investigation was led by former DeKalb County Police Department Detectives Jared Wheeler and Michael Shepard, who have since become DA's Office Investigators.
