A juvenile court adjudicated S. W. delinquent for acts which, if committed by an adult, would have constituted aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a pistol.
In considering a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence supporting an adjudication of delinquency, we construe the evidence and every inference from the evidence in favor of the juvenile court’s adjudication to determine if a*111 reasonable finder of fact could have found, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the juvenile committed the acts charged.2
So viewed, the evidence showed that the two victims walked to a convenience store after leaving Crim Open Campus High School around 6:00 p.m. one evening in November 2012. Two other boys, one of whom the victims recognized as someone they knew as “Little Robert,” confronted the victims regarding a prior altercation. The victims started to walk away, but the boys (now part of a group which included four more boys) began following them. One of these four was S. W, then 16 years old, whom the victims recognized from having gone to high school with him.
Seeing that they were now outnumbered and that Little Robert had pulled out a gun, the victims started running. As they passed a Checkers restaurant, the victims heard the sound of a gun being cocked and turned around to see S. W. leading the group and holding a gun. The victims ran into traffic and onto the expressway in order to escape the group of boys chasing them.
1. S. W. asserts that the State failed to prove venue because the two victims, X. C. and Z. W., provided confusing lay testimony on whether the Checkers restaurant was in DeKalb County.
A delinquency proceeding may be commenced either where the juvenile resides or where the alleged delinquent acts occurred.
In response to a question regarding where the convenience store was located, X. C. testified, “I guess DeKalb.” He later stated that the Checkers restaurant was on “Memorial” and responded affirmatively to whether “that” was in DeKalb County as well. However, during cross-examination, X. C. clarified that the incident occurred in DeKalb County.
The prosecution did not elicit any testimony regarding venue from Z. W. on direct examination. However, on redirect, the following exchange took place:
Q: When all this happened at that Checkers, what county was this all in? Was this in DeKalb County?
*112 A: It was in DeKalb County, but I don’t really know, because I know on one side, it cross over to Atlanta. I think it was DeKalb, though. It had to be DeKalb ’cause it was right there at the Checkers at Crim.
This testimony constituted sufficient evidence for the trial court to find beyond a reasonable doubt that venue was properly laid.
2. S. W. argues that the evidence was insufficient to support an adjudication of delinquency for acts which, if committed by an adult, would have constituted aggravated assault. He contends that there was no testimony that he threatened or even spoke to the victims and no evidence that he pointed the gun at the victims or cocked the gun.
The elements of aggravated assault relevant to this case are (1) assault (2) with a deadly weapon.
Here, the victims both testified that they heard the sound of a gun being cocked and turned around to see S. W. holding a gun while chasing them with a group of other young men. The victims were so afraid that they ran into traffic and onto the expressway to get away. Although the victims testified that S. W. was pointing the gun down and not at them, S. W.’s conduct was sufficient to place them in
Judgment affirmed.
Notes
OCGA § 16-5-21 (b) (2).
In the Interest of D. M.,
OCGA § 15-11-490 (a).
In the Interest of D. D.,
See Martin v. McLaughlin,
Harris v. State,
In the Interest of J. L. H.,
OCGA § 16-5-21 (b) (2).
OCGA § 16-5-20 (a).
See Veasey v. State,
OCGA § 16-5-21 (b) (2).
