North Athens home raked with gunfire, but 4 inside the house escape harm

Four people in a home in north Athens escaped harm Friday during a reported gunfight between the residents and unknown assailants.

Numerous people called 911 when the gunfire erupted about 1:45 a.m. at the house on Laurel Drive in a neighborhood off Whitehead Road, according to an Athens-Clarke police report.

Several officers had gathered at the YMCA on Hawthorne Avenue about that time when they heard the gunfire and went to investigate, police said.

As the 911 calls poured in, witnesses told police they saw several men run from the location and get into a vehicle.

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When police knocked on the door of the targeted home, a 36-year-old resident told police he was not injured and that he was the only person inside the house, according to the report.

However, when police gained permission to do a welfare check, they found three other men hiding in the house — one in a bedroom, another in the shower of a bathroom and a third in another bedroom closet.

The three hiding in the house were all teens ages 18 and 19, and they told police they were playing a basketball video game when the gunfire erupted.

The teens reported they did not return fire, but police found bullet casings in an area outside the house that indicated someone at the house did fire a weapon.

Police reported finding multiple bullet holes in the house and officers were able to retrieve 17 bullet casings in a nearby wooded area.

Police Lt. Shaun Barnett said Monday that police have not determined a motive for the attack or if the shooting is gang-related.