A 13-year-old boy died while sleeping at a friend's house after a man opened fire on a home in DeKalb County, Georgia, in a pre-dawn attack on July 2 that also left another fatality.

The victim was identified as Demarcus Shirley, who was spending the night with several friends when, according to investigators, an attacker shot dozens of times at the home.

Chauncey Newman, 45, also died in the shooting. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities reported that the other minors who were inside the house survived and did not suffer physical injuries.

Suspect arrested for double murder

Five days after the attack, authorities announced the arrest of Keyshun Webb, 21, who faces two counts of murder, eight counts of aggravated assault with a weapon and one count of cruelty to animals.

The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Webb was arrested on July 7 and remains jailed without bond.

According to arrest warrants cited by Atlanta News First, investigators believe Webb also participated in another drive-by shooting that occurred that same day.

Authorities indicated that the shell casings recovered at both scenes matched and that gang involvement is one of the main lines of investigation.

Detectives believe four men traveling in two vehicles were involved in the attacks, although no further arrests have been announced at this time.

Relatives remember Demarcus as a cheerful young man

As the investigation continues, family and friends remembered Demarcus as an energetic teenager with a promising future.

"He seemed very eager to learn. He was athletic. He had his whole life ahead of him," his great-uncle, Gregory Carthon, told Atlanta News First.

Videos shared by the family show the minor smiling during Father's Day celebrations, just a few days before his death.

Survivors recount the horror they experienced

The children who managed to survive the attack described scenes of deep emotional impact.

Larenzo Pinkins, who was also sleeping in the house, said that he found his friend dead after going up to the second floor.

"We went up and I saw him. I tried to grab him and he was already dead. Demarcus," she told 11Alive.

The teenager assured that he still has a hard time accepting what happened.

"I'm happy that it wasn't me, that I wasn't shot, but it should have been me before Demarcus. He had too much life to live. He died too young," he said.

Another of the minors present, Larry Bell-Ware, stated that Demarcus had no connection with violent events.

"He wasn't involved in the streets. He was just a fun kid who liked to run and play like anyone else," he said.

Chauncey Newman was a refuge for neighborhood children

The children also remembered Chauncey Newman, who, they said, used to open the doors of his house to neighborhood children who needed a safe place to spend time.

"He let us go to his house when we had nowhere to go. Any kid who was out there and had nowhere to stay, he took them in. He was a good person," Bell-Ware said.

The authorities have not reported what the motive for the attack would have been and are keeping the investigation open to identify the other suspects who allegedly participated in the shooting.