14-year-old boy fatally shot while group of friends were apparently playing with gun; teen arrested
JAMAICA, Queens (WABC) -- Police have made an arrest after a 14-year-old boy was fatally shot while he and a group of friends were apparently playing with a gun inside a Queens apartment, according to police sources.
A 15-year-old boy was arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon around 11:45 a.m. on Thursday.
Police sources told Eyewitness News that they believe 14-year-old Jamauri Mezar and a group of friends were playing with a firearm inside his apartment on 161st Street in Jamaica when it went off around 5 p.m. Wednesday.
When police arrived, they found one of his friends and the gun.
Police sources say the 15-year-old was the one handling the gun when it went off and struck Mezar in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses described a mother's piercing cries. A pain so heavy, she could no longer stand.
"She was on ground. Collapsed on the ground and she was wailing. And there was someone consoling her," one neighbor said.
Another neighbor, Phylicia Hinton, said she watched Mezar grow up.
"He was a very, very nice kid. Very nice kid," she said. "He would say good morning to me and make sure that he takes out his mother's trash. Very, very nice boy."
Hinton said his mom is a nurse.
"Very hard-working lady. Beautiful woman. Beautiful family overall," she said. "Her not being able to save her son in this situation. Going out and putting her life on the line and being able to save people every day and not being able to reach her son, hearing that is just a horrific thing."
Detectives are now looking into how the gun got into the apartment. It is believed one of the friends brought it, but it's unclear who the gun belongs to at this time.
The victim's stepfather works as a security guard, but does not own a gun.
Police are not releasing the identity of the 15-year-old charged because he is a minor.
The investigation into the teen's death is ongoing.
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