Lawrenceville Man Charged With Shooting Woman in The Head

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A Lawrenceville man has been charged with aggravated assault after police say he shot a woman in the head and pistol-whipped his roommate on Tuesday.

Edward Dukes, 39, is also charged with three counts of drug possession with intent to distribute in the case.

Gwinnett County Police on Wednesday also identified the female victim in the case. Destinee Neal, 19, of Lawrenceville, remains hospitalized and listed in critical condition.

The incident started shortly before 8 a.m., according to the Gwinnett County Police Department.

Police were called to Madison at River Sound apartments, at 980 Walther Blvd., by a neighbor who reported a fight in a nearby apartment.

Officers made contact with an injured man who said he had been pistol-whipped by his roommate, who left the apartments with a woman. The injured man told police he jumped from a second-story balcony to escape the attack.

Police spotted the vehicle, a black SUV, at GA 316 eastbound and Collins Hill Road and made a traffic stop. As they approached, they say they found Neal in the passenger seat with a gunshot wound to the head.

She was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center.

Dukes, who was not injured, was taken into custody.

Detectives believe Neal was shot while inside the SUV. They are still working to determine the relationship between the three people involved, and why the fight and shooting happened.

Photo courtesy Gwinnett County Police Department