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News footage of the scene outside a residence in Philadelphia, Pa., where a boy allegedly shot his mother’s boyfriend on March 5 (WPVI).
A tragic incident in Pennsylvania has left a man dead after police reported that an 11-year-old boy, the son of the man’s girlfriend, allegedly shot him during a domestic dispute.
The victim, identified as 30-year-old Jaimeer Jones-Walker, was fatally shot on Thursday in Philadelphia. Local law enforcement revealed that the altercation, which escalated into violence, involved Jones-Walker and his girlfriend. According to WPVI, an ABC affiliate, the young boy reportedly intervened in the conflict by shooting Jones-Walker in the face.
Authorities pronounced Jones-Walker dead at the scene of the incident.
The confrontation reportedly arose from a disagreement over visitation rights concerning the couple’s newborn child. As per NBC affiliate WCAU, the 11-year-old allegedly acted in defense of his mother after witnessing Jones-Walker physically assault her in the bedroom. It was noted that Jones-Walker was not a resident of the household.
Investigators have confirmed that the boy discharged a single shot, which proved to be fatal for Jones-Walker.
Police said the gun used by the boy was legally registered to the boy’s mother. Both mother and son remained at the scene and were questioned by police, who said they were both cooperating with the investigation. WCAU reported that the boy was staying with another family member.
Shyreea Blocker, a neighbor of the boy and his mother, told WCAU that she heard the woman and her boyfriend have verbal arguments before. She told WCAU she would hear “arguing and fighting, but that’s nothing new with them. It’s a shame. It shouldn’t be like that.”
Another neighbor, Gilbert Blocker, told WCAU that he worried for the boy, saying, “The things he’s going to suffer in his heart if he has any feelings, is going to last him not just now but for the rest of his life.”
WPVI and WCAU both reported that it was not immediately clear if the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office was going to press charges. No arrests were made on the night of the shooting.