[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
A 14-year-old boy in Florida has been arrested and is now facing multiple charges after he allegedly shot and killed his 23-year-old sister during an argument over Christmas presents.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in the St. Petersburg-Clearwater area of the state, an argument took place on Sunday afternoon in the city of Largo. The argument was between 14-year-old Damarcus Coley (pictured top left insert), his 15-year-old brother Darcus Coley (pictured bottom right insert), and their 23-year-old sister Abrielle Baldwin.
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Per cops, the trio went to a local shopping center and bought a bunch of Christmas gifts together on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. But by the time they got back to their grandmother’s house in a neighborhood in Largo, all hell broke loose. A sheriff’s office press release stated:
“Through their investigation, detectives learned Damarcus, 15-year-old Darcus Coley, and Abrielle, who are all siblings, went Christmas shopping with their mother and Abrielle’s 11-month-old and six-year-old sons. They then went to their grandmother’s home where Damarcus, Darcus, and Abrielle were involved in a verbal altercation over Christmas gifts.”
At issue, according to Fox 13 News, was the fact that Damarcus felt Darcus had gotten more Christmas gifts than he did. Upset, Damarcus got into an argument with Abrielle — and then threatened to shoot the young mother and the 11-month-old baby she was carrying in a baby carrier during the dispute.
The sheriff’s office release went on:
“After Abrielle told Damarcus to stop arguing because it was Christmas, Damarcus told Abrielle he was going to shoot her and the 11-month-old she was holding in a baby carrier. Damarcus shot Abrielle in the chest while Abrielle was holding the child in the carrier.”
WTF…
Abrielle was seriously wounded in the shooting and later pronounced dead by paramedics. Thankfully, it appears that the baby was not physically injured, but still… that scene…
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Following Damarcus’ alleged gun violence attack on his older sister, his one-year-older brother Darcus shot the 14-year-old boy in response, per the sheriff’s department:
“Shortly thereafter, Darcus exited the residence with another firearm and shot Damarcus because Damarcus shot Abrielle. Darcus then fled the scene, tossing his firearm into a nearby yard. Detectives have been unable to locate the firearm used by Darcus.”
Darcus fled the scene, but later contacted his mother, and she convinced him to turn himself in. Police took him to a mental health facility after he made “self-harm statements,” according to the sheriff’s statement.
As for Damarcus, he was rushed to the hospital after being shot in response to his alleged initial shooting, but he is in stable condition and expected to survive. Officially, Damarcus has been charged with first degree murder, child abuse, and delinquent in possession of a firearm. Meanwhile, Darcus is facing charges of attempted first degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.
Speaking about the senseless tragedy to the media after the incident occurred, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said:
“She [Abrielle] was just a woman going about life with her two kids, trying to make a living and trying to make it. This proliferation of guns on the streets and guns in this area and guns in the hands of these kids is the worst I’ve ever seen it. I don’t think we’ve ever seen it this bad.”
Wow.
Here is more on this terrible tragedy (below):
We send our condolences to Abrielle’s family, friends, and loved ones. So, so sad.
[Image via Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office/Fox 13 Tampa Bay/YouTube]
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