Man with special needs accidentally shoots, kills teen outside motorsports store, police say

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police Department is investigating a deadly shooting outside a motorsports store.

Channel 2's Mike Petchenik learned that one person is dead and another has a graze wound outside the Mountain Motor Sports on Upper Hembree Road.

Police said a group of teens and young men with special needs stopped at the business around 12:45 p.m. while on their way to go camping.

While sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot, a 21-year-old shot a 17-year-old identified as Zachary Chambless, killing him, police said.

A bystander in the parking lot, a 63-year-old male not connected to the group, was grazed in the hand and is being treated at North Fulton Hospital.

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Police said the shooting appears to be accidental.

"We're going to investigate every angle of it. It does appear it was accidental, every side of it," Sgt. Zachary Frommer said.

Witnesses described the scene as chaotic.

"I just heard two quick gunshots. I was sitting right outside that parking lot," Rhiannon Lindsay told Channel 2 Action News.

Lindsay was just feet away from the business when she heard gunfire.

"This whole thing is very sensitive because the (man) who pulled the trigger has special needs, the victim has special needs," Frommer said. "The majority of our witnesses were all special needs kids. It will be quite an undertaking to debrief the witnesses and interview all the kids involved."

The driver and caretaker, 35-year-old Gerard Brister, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct.

Cox Media Group