Criminal charges filed against a former 17-year-old Armuchee resident following a shooting that injured another juvenile in August 2025 have been dismissed in Floyd County Superior Court.

According to court documents dated November 4, 2026, the Floyd County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to dismiss the charges against Malakahi Israel Melendez, who had been charged with reckless conduct and two counts of possession of a handgun by a person under the age of 18.

Prosecutors requested that the case be dismissed through a legal procedure known as nolle prosequi, citing judicial economy and prosecutorial discretion. A Floyd County Superior Court judge granted the motion.

The charges stemmed from an incident on Cordle Drive in Floyd County. According to the original arrest warrant, Melendez allegedly pointed a loaded .22-caliber pistol at another juvenile when the firearm discharged, striking the juvenile in the leg. Investigators also reported finding two .45-caliber handguns in Melendez’s vehicle.

WZQZ originally reported the arrest and charges on August 7, 2025.

A nolle prosequi means prosecutors have elected not to proceed with criminal charges. It is not an acquittal or a judicial finding of innocence, nor does it establish that the original allegations were false.

The court’s November 4 order also indicates that the criminal record is to be restricted.