BUFFALO, N.Y. — Two teenage boys were indicted Tuesday in the shooting death of a 3-year-old who was killed while riding his tricycle outside his Buffalo home last week, officials said. The toddler’s 7-year-old sister was wounded.
“Literally, babies killing babies,” Mayor Byron Brown said as city leaders announced the charges against a 14-year-old and 16-year-old at an evening news conference.
Three-year-old Ramone Carter and Jamia Griffin, 7, were not the intended targets as the suspects fired toward another young person about 9:30 p.m. on June 21, acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane said.
The children’s mother, Shakenya Griffin, told The Buffalo News the next morning that she heard gunshots and ran outside to look for her children.
“He ran right to me, and he was full of blood,” she said. “I collapsed in my neighbor’s grass and said call 911.”
Keane said each of the teenagers fired an illegal gun, one of them a pistol and the other a revolver. Both boys were arraigned on charges of murder, attempted murder, assault and weapons possession and were being held without bail in a youth detention facility. The older boy would be sentenced as an adult if convicted, the prosecutor said.
The teenagers’ names were withheld because of their ages.
Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia credited the cooperation of witnesses in leading police to the suspects, recalling how officers arriving on the scene had rushed Ramone to the hospital themselves in the hope of saving him.
“They were able to get that poor baby in a police car, race the baby to (Erie County Medical Center) to try to give him a fighting chance,” Gramaglia said. “Unfortunately, we all know that that wasn’t the outcome. The baby was declared dead at the hospital.”
Keane declined to comment on a possible motive when asked whether the shootings may have been gang-related.
“It appeared that they were targeting someone else,” Brown said. “But the fact that these children had guns and were so willing to use them indiscriminately is what brings us to this point today.”
Two teenagers have been charged in connection with a shooting that tragically resulted in the death of a 3-year-old child and the injury of a 7-year-old child. The incident has shocked the community and raised questions about the prevalence of gun violence among young people.
The shooting took place in a residential neighborhood, where the two teenagers allegedly opened fire on a group of children playing outside. The 3-year-old was struck by a bullet and pronounced dead at the scene, while the 7-year-old was rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The teenagers, both of whom are minors, have been charged with murder, attempted murder, and various weapons offenses. Their names have not been released due to their age, but they are being held in juvenile detention pending further legal proceedings.
This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of gun violence, especially when it involves young people. It also highlights the need for stricter gun control measures and increased efforts to address the root causes of violence in our communities.
Parents, educators, and community leaders must work together to educate young people about the dangers of guns and provide them with alternatives to violence. It is crucial that we create safe spaces for our youth to express themselves and resolve conflicts peacefully, rather than resorting to deadly weapons.
In addition, it is important for law enforcement agencies to take swift and decisive action against those who commit acts of violence, regardless of their age. Holding individuals accountable for their actions sends a strong message that such behavior will not be tolerated in our society.
As we mourn the loss of a young life and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured child, let us also reflect on what we can do to prevent such tragedies from happening again. By working together to address the underlying issues that lead to violence, we can create a safer and more peaceful future for all members of our community.
