Savannah resident Lakeith Mitchell was allegedly shot and "nearly killed" while attending a birthday party in Ellabell on Oct. 13, according to a report filed with the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office.
"This was almost a case of murder," said BCSO Det. Mickey Sands. "The bullet was inches from the victim’s heart. It couldn’t even be extracted for evidence. Thank God no one was actually killed."
According to the report, Cpl. Paul Motes responded to the Groover Hill area around 1:30 a.m. in reference to a shooting. At the scene, he found Mitchell with a relative inside a car. Mitchell had an apparent gun shot wound in the lower left shoulder area. The cousin told Motes they were at a party on Tar Hill Road when a fight broke out.
Motes interviewed several people in the area, but could not locate a witness. Sands said Mitchell told him he was at the party when someone he "didn’t get along with" punched him in the jaw.
Mitchell reportedly told Sands he was then jumped by multiple people and was subsequently shot in the back after putting one of his attackers in a headlock.
The shooting is still under investigation.
Sands encourages witnesses to call the Bryan County Sheriff's Office at 653-3800.