Gainesville, Georgia — On August 16, 2015 at approximately 1245AM, deputies received a call of an active shooter at Lake Lanier Islands. As deputies were responding to the lake houses at Lake Lanier Islands they were advised that one person had been shot and the shooter was still on the property.
SWAT team members that were on the scene at River Hill Drive left that call to assist patrol deputies. Deputies and SWAT team members along with members of Flowery Branch Police Department, Department of Natural Resources, and Forsyth Sheriff’s Office arrived at the lake houses and made contact with several people that were present for a birthday party.
Once the scene was secured, deputies located 23 year old Malik Davis of Union City with a single gunshot wound to the chest. Davis was transported to the Northeast Georgia Medical Center where he was sent into emergency surgery.
Investigators were called to the scene and learned that several friends had rented the lake house to celebrate a birthday party. The majority of the attendees were from the metro Atlanta area. Witnesses describe three African American males that showed up at the lake house uninvited. A verbal dispute began and escalated to a physical dispute. Witnesses describe Davis as attempting to break the fight up when shots were fired. The three unknown males fled the scene. Investigators are working to identify the subjects with the assistance of Lake Lanier Islands security and staff.
Davis is listed as stable in the Intensive Care Unit at Northeast Georgia Medical Center. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Hall County Sheriff’s Office at 770-531-6879 or they can remain anonymous at 770-503-3232. The case remains under investigation.
