Raphael Warnock: Democrat's campaign in Georgia turns bloody as 15-year-old volunteer shot in leg
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: In a shocking incident in Savannah, a 15-year-old boy was shot while campaigning for Democrats in his area. The teen was shot in the leg Thursday, December 1, while canvassing door-to-door for Democrat Raphael Warnock, the Savannah Police Department confirmed. Authorities said there was no indication that the shooting was politically motivated. The incident occurred around 5.35 pm when officers responded to the shooting and found a "15-year-old male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg," according to the police department.
The victim was immediately taken to Memorial Medical Center for treatment of his injuries, which were not life-threatening, according to authorities. According to the preliminary investigation, "the teen was campaigning for Raphael Warnock for the upcoming run-off election when the incident occurred," the Savannah Police Department said in a news release. "While at the front door of one of the residences on Hartridge Street, the suspect fired a shot through the closed door, striking the teen." Detectives have taken Jimmy Paiz, 42, into custody on charges of aggravated assault and aggravated battery while the investigation continues.
READ MORE
Idaho murders: Police refuse to make 911 call public as search for killer drags on
As long as Iām in the U.S. Senate, I will fight tooth & nail for the priorities most important to Georgians. š
ā Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@SenatorWarnock) November 30, 2022
Warnock, a sitting Senator in Georgia currently running for reelection said in a media release, "I am saddened to learn about this incident. I am praying for the victim and their family and wish them a full recovery." Georgia will decide on Tuesday, December 5 in a runoff since neither Warnock nor his Republican opponent Herschel Walker could reach the required 50% vote share to win the race outright. Incumbent Sen. Warnock had also won his first term in January 2021, in a runoff, which marked the first time since 2014 that Democrats gained control of the state. That year, Jon Ossoff, 35, won for the Democratic Party almost a decade back, according to People.
Warnock's profile before becoming a Senator was seen as the ideal fit for the Democrats, who served as a pastor for 15 years. He grew up in public housing and lived in one of the US' poorest cities - Baltimore. The 53-year-old led a congregation not just spiritually but on key public matters like HIV/AIDS awareness, and access to abortion, and even protested against the GOP opposition to Medicaid. Seeking reelection from Georgia, he also fought for voting rights and fair pay, positions he took with him to the US Senate.