The confrontation allegedly started over a dispute between the two brothers about who had received the most gifts.
Two Florida teenagers have been taken into custody following their alleged involvement in the murder of their older sister on Christmas Eve, the Washington Post reports.
The confrontation allegedly stemmed from a dispute between the two brothers over who had received the most gifts. While out Christmas shopping with their family on Sunday, the boys began arguing, which continued as they arrived at their grandmother’s house later that day.
At one point, the younger brother, 14, allegedly threatened his 15-year-old brother with a gun. The older brother attempted to de-escalate the situation and suggested he go for a walk, say authorities. Their uncle and older sister, Abrielle Baldwin, 23, also tried to intervene.
“You all need to leave that stuff alone … It’s Christmas,” Baldwin allegedly told them, according to Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualti,eri while speaking at a press conference on Dec. 26. The 14-year-old then turned his weapon toward her and allegedly shot her directly in the chest while she was holding her baby. Baldwin was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Her baby was uninjured.
Immediately after the shooting, the 15-year-old brother allegedly shot the younger brother in the stomach with his own handgun before disposing of the weapon in a nearby yard and fleeing the scene, police said. He was found at a relative’s house shortly after, where he was taken into custody. The 14-year-old is reportedly in stable condition at a hospital, where he was formally arrested.
“They’re not old enough to understand and have the right coping mechanisms to deal with the stuff when they are upset,” said Gualtieri. “I mean the fact that two 14-year-olds and 15-year-olds get upset with each other because one got more, I mean that happens. That’s just kid stuff, but not with guns.”
The 15-year-old is facing charges of attempted first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. He is currently being held at a mental health facility after discussing harming himself.
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Source: Black Enterprise
