Police in Northern California arrested a 10-year-old boy and his ex-con father over the weekend after authorities said the young suspect shot and killed another 10-year-old boy with his dad’s stolen firearm.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said the accused juvenile shooter was charged with murder and taken to a youth detention facility. The boy’s father, 53-year-old Arkete Davis, is also behind bars after being charged with multiple gun offenses and accessory after the fact in connection to Saturday’s deadly shooting.
Investigators said the boy got ahold of the gun when he went to retrieve cigarettes for Davis from the father’s car.
Authorities said the boy then bragged about his dad’s gun to the other boy, whom Sacramento NBC affiliate KCRA-TV identified as Keith “KJ” Frierson.
Police said the boy proceeded to shoot KJ in the head/neck area. KJ later died in the hospital.
The accused boy ran into a nearby apartment after shooting the child.
Investigators said they found the suspected homicide weapon in a nearby trash can, which they believe was put there by Davis.
Police said Davis is an ex-convict who isn’t allowed to possess firearms. The gun was reported stolen in 2017.
“As more details of the incident come to light, there is definitely a concern about irresponsible parenting and that an ex-felon was illegally in possession of a firearm that led to this young boy’s murder,” Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper said Sunday on X.
Davis is being held on a $500,00 bond and will appear in court Wednesday.
It’s unclear when the boy will appear in court. Sacramento County requires juvenile suspects to be charged within 48 hours of their arrest.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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