A 14-year-old teenager is accused of shooting his sister before being shot dead himself by his 15-year-old brother during a family drama fueled by a banal argument over presents on Christmas Eve. Far from Tampa, Florida.
According to Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, at a news conference Tuesday, 23-year-old Abrielle Baldwin went shopping with her mother, her two brothers Damarcus Coley, 14, and Darcus Coley, 15, and her two sons – a 6-year-old and an 11-month-old Infant.
The family then went to the grandmother of the sister and the two brothers, where an argument broke out between the three protagonists over Christmas presents.
Sheriff Gualtieri said Abrielle allegedly told Damarcus to stop complaining. In response, the little brother brandished a gun and threatened to shoot his sister and the baby she was carrying.
The 14-year-old eventually opened fire on Abrielle, hitting her in the chest. She died shortly afterwards, but fortunately her baby was spared the injection.
Shortly thereafter, older brother Darcus decided to avenge his sister by opening fire on his brother with another weapon, inflicting serious injuries on him. Darcus then fled and got rid of his gun in the neighborhood. He eventually turned himself in to authorities after calling his mother and discussing the idea of ending his life.
Weapons problem
Damarcus is ultimately charged with murder, weapons possession and child endangerment.
Darcus, for his part, is charged with attempted murder and disposal of evidence since the weapon he used was not found by the police.
Sheriff Gualtieri wanted to use this tragedy to alert his fellow citizens to the scourge of firearms that end up in the hands of minors and often steal them from cars.
“In the last 30 days, we have received 17 reports of guns being stolen from junk cars. […] Help us because we have a problem,” said Bob Gualtieri, urging his fellow citizens to lock their car doors.