Teenager found dead near Second Street in Macon after Monday shooting identified by mother

A youth that died early Monday in Macon was identified by his mother after he was found with bullet wounds on the sidewalk near Second Street west of Broadway in downtown Macon, officials said.

Deputies found him after they responded to a report of shots fired on the 600 block of Williams Street at about 2 a.m., according to a statement from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. They were notified of the shooting via ShotSpotter, a software that detects gunshots in communities, according to Bibb coroner Leon Jones.

The youth died at about 4 a.m., Jones said. He was declared dead by deputy coroner Ronnie Miley. He had no ID and no tattoos that made him easily identifiable, Jones said.

After 13WMAZ published a photo of a necklace the teenager had when he died, his mother called the station Monday morning and identified him as Derrick Putmon, 16, Jones said.

The sheriff’s office was still investigating the incident Monday, the statement said. The teenager’s death marks the 23rd homicide in Macon this year, according to Telegraph archives.

This story was originally published May 22, 2023 at 9:58 AM.