Ga. Teenager Killed in Alleged Hit-and-Run While Trying to Rescue Injured Dog

Samuel Johnson, Jr., 16, was found by a passerby next to a deceased dog and an injured dog

Police are investigating the death of a teenager who was killed in an alleged hit-and-run while he was trying to rescue an injured dog in Valdosta, Georgia, according to authorities.

On Saturday, Samuel Johnson, Jr. spotted a dog that had been injured on the street and as he went to help the dog, he was “struck” by another vehicle that fled the scene, the Valdosta Police Department said in a release report.

Johnson, 16, was then discovered on the ground by another person traveling in the vicinity, according to the report. The woman initially approached the scene after only spotting a deceased dog on the street and she found another injured dog next to Johnson.

The police identified the vehicle as one that has damage to the front bumper on the driver’s side and were able to locate it soon, according to the release report. It wasn’t clear in the report if the owner or driver of the vehicle has also been identified by authorities; authorities did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for clarification.

Johnson, who was a high school football player, is being mourned by the community, according to tributes shared online.

The Valdosta Wildcats, the high school football team Johnson played for, said they are "heartbroken and devastated" in an Instagram post on Monday.

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“Sam was like a brother to me he was my right hand man whenever I needed something he would be there for me,” one person wrote on his obituary page.

The Valdosta police say an investigation is ongoing and declined to comment any further.

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