A road rage incident on Spring Road has left a six-year-old boy, Asher, seriously injured after being struck by a bullet.
Asher was in the backseat of a vehicle with his siblings when the shooting occurred.
His mother, McCrary, was driving the car when her fiancé, Eric Rushing, who was seated in the front passenger seat, engaged in a violent exchange of gunfire with another driver identified as Craig Calhoun.
Despite her attempts to escape the dangerous situation, McCrary discovered that Asher had been hit in the abdomen amid the chaos.
After undergoing four surgeries, Asher is now stable but continues to be closely monitored by medical staff.
McCrary described the incident as incredibly traumatic, pointing out that the assailant was a complete stranger.
This event is not isolated; it mirrors a disturbing trend of road rage incidents that have become increasingly common across metro Atlanta.
In the last three weeks alone, various drivers have resorted to gunfire following minor traffic altercations, raising concerns among experts about escalating road rage.
One such incident occurred on May 30 in Gwinnett County when a driver fired a gun after a confrontation over a honking exchange.
In that case, no one sustained injuries, but the pattern of aggression on the roads has been evident.
On June 9, another tragic event unfolded in Paulding County where a father lost his life after allegedly brandishing a knife during a road rage incident.
Just last week, a 62-year-old driver was seriously injured when another driver shot at him, causing him to crash into a vacant house.
Experts in traffic psychology are pointing to a variety of factors that contribute to such volatile situations on the road.
Dwight Hennessy, a psychology professor specializing in traffic aggression, explained that seemingly minor inconveniences can rapidly escalate into violent confrontations.
Misunderstandings often act as catalysts; when one driver perceives another driver has endangered them or acted with intent to provoke, the reaction can be regrettably extreme.
Hennessy noted that a situation could quickly ramp up from an annoying encounter, such as being cut off, to a driver taking drastic measures to express their anger.
For example, in the recent Gwinnett incident, one driver followed another to a parking lot after honking, believing their vehicle had been struck.
This provoked a response where shots were fired in an effort to scare the other driver, demonstrating how quickly tensions can escalate.
The anonymity provided by a vehicle can compound these reactions, allowing individuals to act in ways they wouldn’t if they were face-to-face.
Hennessy emphasized that stress from unrelated life events can spill into a person’s driving experience, reducing their tolerance for traffic frustrations.
Gwinnett police encouraged drivers to de-escalate situations instead of engaging other motorists directly.
Cpl. Ryan Winderweedle advised that immediately calling 911 is the best course of action and that following the offending driver could result in dangerous confrontations, especially if firearms are involved.
McCrary’s family is grappling with the aftermath of this harrowing experience.
The psychological impact is evident in her daughter, who has been vocal about her fear and confusion surrounding the gunfire.
Meanwhile, McCrary finds it difficult to sleep, always replaying the terrifying events in her mind.
Asher faces a long and challenging recovery.
The bullet caused significant damage, puncturing his stomach, liver, and gallbladder, and he will need a feeding tube while he undergoes rehabilitation.
To aid with medical expenses and other costs, the family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign.
“He’s just a sweet, loving boy, and he didn’t deserve to go through this,” McCrary lamented, illustrating the emotional toll this incident has taken on their family unit.
As road rage incidents continue to plague highways and streets alike, the need for awareness and strategies to mitigate such aggressive behavior becomes ever more pressing.
According to experts, it is crucial for drivers to remain calm, recognize their stressors, and avoid engaging in confrontations that can lead to violence on the road.
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