Authorities in the Tampa Bay area said that a 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder after he is alleged to have shot and killed his elder sister on Christmas Eve after a family spat about presents.
The Pinellas County, Florida, Sheriff’s office said that the 15-year-old brother of the accused has also been charged with attempted murder. The younger brother is said to have been shot in retaliation for their 23-year-old sister Abrielle Baldwin’s shooting.
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri stated during a press conference on Tuesday that the conflict started when the siblings, their mother, and Baldwin’s two kids went shopping for gifts on Christmas Eve and got into an argument because the 15-year-old thought his brother was getting more items.
“They are having a major argument in the store and they are all fighting with each other,” Gualtieri said. “They had this family fight about who was getting what and what money was being spent on who.”
The sheriff claimed that when the family left the business, they traveled to the grandmother’s house in Largo, where the fight carried on. Baldwin told the 14-year-old to “quit fighting because it was Christmas,” according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.
The 14-year-old eventually pulled out a 40 caliber handgun, aimed it at his brother, and made threats to shoot him, according to Gualtieri. He then aimed the gun at her and threatened to shoot her and her 11-month-old child, who she was carrying in a carrier, until Baldwin intervened.
According to the announcement, Baldwin was holding the baby carrier when the adolescent shot her in the chest.
The 15-year-old then took out a second revolver, shot his brother, and ran away, according to the sheriff. The teenager was eventually discovered in nearby Clearwater at the residence of a relative, he continued.
According to the announcement, Baldwin and the younger brother both had a single gunshot wound when deputies arrived at the site of the incident. Baldwin was taken to a nearby hospital and later declared deceased. Gualtieri continued, “Her 11-month-old son was not hurt in the incident.”
According to officials, the younger sibling was also brought to a hospital and was in stable condition.
According to the announcement, the 14-year-old is accused of first-degree murder, child abuse, and delinquent in possession of a firearm. The 15-year-old is accused of tampering with evidence and attempting first-degree murder.
