A Brooklet man was charged Tuesday with the death of Kelsey McDuffie, who was fatally shot April 16 at a residence in southern Bulloch County.
In a brief release Tuesday night, Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Bill Black said Adan Allen Keelin, 18, was arrested and charged with felony involuntary manslaughter along with two other charges “After consulting with the District Attorney's Office … relating to the shooting death of Kelsey McDuffie.”
According to initial reports, McDuffie was shot in the head while a man, identified Tuesday as Keelin, said he was disassembling and reassembling a handgun. McDuffie was first taken to East Georgia Regional Medical Center and then flown to Memorial Medical Center in Savannah where she later died.
According to an April 18 release from the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, McDuffie was at a home at 1342 Arthur Nubern Road, located about a mile south of the Highway 67/Interstate 16 intersection. Keelin said he was showing McDuffie a handgun in the early morning hours of April 16, according to the release.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that Keelin was showing McDuffie how to disassemble and reassemble a 9mm semi-auto handgun,” Black said in the April 18 release. “During this activity, the handgun discharged, while in the hands of Keelin. The bullet traveled through Keelin’s left hand and struck McDuffie in the rear of her head.”
Shortly after the incident, the Sheriff’s Office received a call from 911 central dispatch that a subject had been shot and was being transported to East Georgia Regional Medical Center by a “private vehicle.” Black said deputies and investigators responded to the Emergency Room area the hospital.
McDuffie was flown to Memorial Medical Center in Savannah for surgery and later succumbed to her injuries, Black said.
Keelin also went to East Georgia Regional where he was treated for the gunshot through his hand and released, Black said in that release.
Black said the case remained under investigation and all evidence was turned over to the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit’s District Attorney’s Office. Black announced Tuesday the DA’s office filed the felony involuntary manslaughter charge along with charges of possession of a firearm during commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies and reckless conduct against Keelin, of the Arthur Nubern Road address listed in the April 18 report.
The case remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call Investigator Reid Odom at (912) 764-1785.