A Florida teenager has been arrested and charged with the death of his older sister following an argument over their Christmas gifts.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said Abrielle Baldwin, 23, died on Sunday after her brother Damarcus, 14, fatally shot her in the chest at their grandmother’s house.
Authorities say a brother, Darcus, 15, then shot Damarcus before fleeing the scene.
Damarcus and Abrielle were both taken to a nearby hospital, where the sister was pronounced dead. Demarcus is currently in a stable condition.
“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,” added the police release.
“They then went to their grandmother’s home where Damarcus, Darcus, and Abrielle were involved in a verbal altercation over Christmas gifts.”
“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,” the release continued. “Damarcus shot Abrielle in the chest while Abrielle was holding the child in the carrier.”
“Shortly thereafter, Darcus exited the residence with another firearm and shot Damarcus because Damarcus shot Abrielle,” the press release read. “Darcus then fled the scene, tossing his firearm into a nearby yard. Detectives have been unable to locate the firearm used by Darcus.”
Damarcus was reportedly upset that his brother had more gifts than him, Fox 13 reported.
“She was just a woman going about life with her two kids, trying to make a living and trying to make it,” they reported Pinellas County Sheriff Gualtieri as saying about Abrielle, who was a mother of two.
“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,” Gualtieri added. “I don’t think we’ve ever seen it this bad.”
After he fled the scene, Darcus contacted his mother and was taken to a mental health facility after making self-harm statements, police reported.
“He will be transferred to the custody of the Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center once he is released,” added the statement.
Damarcus has been charged with 1st Degree Murder, Child Abuse, and Delinquent in Possession of a Firearm.
Darcus has also been charged. He faces charges of Attempted 1st Degree Murder and Tampering with Physical Evidence.
Crystal Gross
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