Valdosta police investigating accidental double shooting, at least one victim from Douglas

Detectives from the Valdosta Police Department are investigating a double shooting that took place on the 1100 block of Slater Street at 3:34 a.m. on Friday, March 24, 2023. The VPD has not released the identities of the two deceased young men nor has the department any details of the shooting. However, DouglasNow has confirmed that two individuals were cousins and at least one was from Douglas.

Sources tell DouglasNow that the shooting appears to have been accidental. One of the young men accidentally fatally shot the other then shot himself. Both men were 20 years old.

According to a release posted on the Valdosta Police Department’s Facebook page, when officers entered the apartment, they found the two men dead from apparent gunshot wounds.

Detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the apartment. Through investigation and evidence collected at the scene, detectives have determined this to be an isolated incident, with no further active threat to the community, the release states.

Officials took both to the Valdosta Lowndes Regional Crime Laboratory. From there, they will be transported to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. 

The investigation is ongoing.