By BLAKE DESHAZO | Staff Writer

A 13-year-old is in critical condition after allegedly being shot in the leg by a 14-year-old Tuesday while walking home from a middle school football game.

“This is really sad when somebody that young is out shooting innocent people,” said Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson.

“A little child is in critical condition. It’s just sad.”

According to Jackson, the 14-year-old, who is being charged with attempted murder, is in custody at the Dallas County Juvenile Detention Center.

The 13-year-old was initially treated at Vaughn Regional Medical Center before being life-flighted to Birmingham with life-threatening injuries, according to Selma Police Chief John Brock.

As of Wednesday evening, Brock said the 13-year-old was out of surgery but still listed in stable but critical condition.

The shooting happened around 8:21 p.m. at the intersection of Dallas Avenue and King Street.

According to Brock, the victim was with a group of people walking home from the R.B. Hudson and Tipton Middle School football game at Memorial Stadium.

“They’re going to be investigating the possibility that this might be some gang initiation stuff,” Jackson said. “Unfortunately, that’s one of our biggest problems right now here in Selma.”

The name of the 14-year-old has not been released because he is a juvenile, but Jackson said his office is filing a petition to certify him as an adult.

“We’ll file that with the clerk’s office, and they will set up a certification hearing,” Jackson said.

“It will be up to the judge, and the judge will look at a lot of facts like the child’s record, his age, how he was doing in school, the serious nature of the crime.”

Jackson said it is tragic to see youth involved in such a serious crime.

“We have a problem right now in Selma where these youth need some positive motivation to finish school and be good citizens,” Jackson said. “As opposed to spending their time committing crimes and doing other things. We have to keep them focused in a positive direction.”

According to Brock, no weapon was found in the 14-year-old’s possession.

“It might have been a gang thing, but it might be just an argument between two people,” Brock said.

The Selma Police Department will continue to investigate the case to determine a motivation for the shooting.