Anthony Boone says people inside the relative’s home have not provided a convincing explanation for the fatal shooting of his son.
ATLANTA — Anthony Boone ran several blocks to a relative’s home after learning that his 13-year-old son had been shot, arriving to find the boy on a couch and beginning an unsuccessful effort to revive him.
Days later, Boone said he still does not know how his son, Cameron, died during what was supposed to be an overnight visit centered on playing video games. Atlanta police are investigating the shooting but have released few details, leaving the family without an official account of what happened inside the Lindsay Street NW home.
Police said officers received a call about a shooting at the northwest Atlanta house at about 3:45 a.m. Tuesday, July 28. They found a boy dead inside. Detectives initially confirmed that the victim was a minor but did not publicly identify him or explain the events leading to the shooting.
Boone later identified the boy as Cameron. He said the home belonged to his wife’s sister and was a familiar place where Cameron enjoyed spending time and playing video games. Boone lived nearby and said he ran to the scene after someone called him with news of the shooting.
“I just lost it,” Boone said. “I knew he was dead. But me as a parent I’m trying to bring him back.”
Boone said he saw Cameron lying on a couch under a blanket with his phone on his chest. The father described the position as appearing almost as though the teenager were asleep, except for a gunshot wound on the left side of his head.
People at the home told Boone that Cameron had shot himself, he said. Boone rejected that explanation. He said his son was right-handed and questioned whether the wound’s location was consistent with the account he had been given.
Boone also said officers told him the scene did not appear to be a suicide. Police have not publicly confirmed that statement or released a preliminary manner of death. The department referred questions to its initial announcement, which said the shooting remained under investigation.
The father said he encountered the owner of the gun at the house and immediately accused the person of killing Cameron. Authorities have not identified the firearm’s owner, named anyone as a suspect or said whether investigators believe another person fired the weapon.
Boone raised another question about the response that morning, saying no one had contacted police before he reached the home. Police have not identified the caller or released a timeline showing when Cameron was shot, when Boone was notified and when the emergency report was made.
A reporter visited the home seeking an account from those who were inside, but no one answered the door. Their explanation has not been independently detailed beyond Boone’s statement that they described the shooting as self-inflicted.
Boone said the lack of clear information has deepened his grief. He described crying until he could no longer cry and said he wants those with direct knowledge of the shooting to tell investigators what they saw and heard.
“I just want justice for Cameron,” Boone said. “I just want the truth to come out. Let me know what happened to my son.”
Police have not announced an arrest, a suspect, a cause of death or a conclusion about how the gun was fired. The investigation remained active Saturday, and officials had not released a date for their next public update.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 1, 2026.