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A mother in California claims that her 10-year-old child was fatally shot by another 10-year-old following a bicycle race dispute in their local area.
Brittani Frierson, the mother of Keith “KJ” Frierson, stated that her son was eager to try out his new Christmas bike and decided to participate in a race with other children in their Foothill Farms community, located approximately 16 miles north east of Sacramento.
According to Ms Frierson, her son pleaded for a bike as a Christmas gift. She granted him permission to ride with the other children, but after just 15 minutes, he was shot.
According to the report, neighbors urgently went to her residence and started knocking on the door, informing her that something had occurred to her son.
“I cried for hours after witnessing my child on the ground,” she shared with NBC News. “I could clearly see that he had no hope. I already knew that my child had passed away.”
A 10-year-old individual, whose identity remains undisclosed due to their young age, reportedly became enraged and fired a weapon following their defeat in a competition. According to a woman who spoke on the matter, she received information from another child in the neighborhood who witnessed the incident.
According to her, the child and the suspected shooter were close companions who frequently engaged in playtime together.
The child is facing charges for murder, while his father, 53-year-old Arkete Davis, is facing charges for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, unlawfully storing a firearm, carrying a stolen loaded firearm in a vehicle, endangering a child, and assisting in a crime after it was committed.
It is believed that the child may have taken the loaded gun from his father’s car while being sent to get cigarettes for the parent. Authorities had initially stated that the gun was stolen and the man attempted to conceal it in a nearby trash can after the shooting before entering a nearby apartment.
The court has established a $500,000 bond for Mr. Davis, and his initial court appearance is planned for Wednesday. He is currently detained at Sacramento County Main Jail.
Ms. Frierson stated that her son was kind, intelligent, sociable, curious, and supportive. She also mentioned that he would regularly assist elderly women in the neighborhood with carrying their groceries.
A candlelight gathering was held on Monday evening in honor of her son. The Sacramento Youth Football team’s Jr. Football Mustangs coach and teammates were in attendance, expressing their sorrow for the loss of the child. They stated that he will be greatly missed.
“A young member of our Jr Mustang team was tragically lost on Saturday night due to gun violence,” the team expressed in a Facebook statement. “Our coaches and staff are at a loss for words. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his mother and brother for strength during this difficult time.”
A fundraising campaign on GoFundMe has been initiated to collect money for the child’s funeral costs. As of now, it has received almost $12,000 towards its goal of $20,000.
Source: independent.co.uk
