Officials confirm child shot at funeral home on Bonaventure Road

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - Officials with the Savannah Police Department have confirmed that a 12-year-old boy was shot at the Bonaventure Funeral Home in the 2500 block of Bonaventure Road.

Officers responded to the funeral home at 2520 Bonaventure Road around 3:15 on Saturday afternoon to find the child suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Several people on scene have said that the funeral service was that of 20-year-old Ricky Boyd. Boyd was shot earlier this week when officers with the Savannah Police Department and U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force were serving a warrant for his arrest. He was wanted for murder and other charges.

"They were hugging one another and everything was fine."

That is how Arleen Fuller described the moments before her sister pointed out two young men that were arguing outside of the funeral home.

"She came up to me and she said Arleen, these young men are fussing. So I heard them arguing and she was trying to tell them to stop. She said not today not today. She was telling them to calm down and then I went and said a few little words and then I heard a voice that spoke to me say 'He got a gun. He 'bout to start shooting."

Fuller watched the argument turn into violence before her eyes as the scene dissolved into panic after gunshots rang out.

"Running. Screaming," says Fuller, the eulogist of Boyd's funeral that was being held. "Hiding behind whatever they could hide behind and they were telling us to get in the cars and people couldn't find their keys. It was crazy."

People who witnessed this shooting say it was horrific and most traumatizing for the children inside.

"Guns were waved around right in their face," said Jasmine Eaddy, a funeral attendee. "They were separated from their parents and just the sound of the screams and people jumping out of windows..."

Alesha Blakely says she was running for safety when she looked over the balcony to see the 12-year-old child that was shot.

"I saw a baby," Blakely said. "A baby. Had been shot. Why would you do something like that? Why would you come into an environment like this?" "

Stay with us as we work to bring updates to this developing story.

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