A 13-year-old boy is in custody following a fatal shooting at a local gas station that killed 24-year-old rapper/producer Byron Dennis Junior.
The tragedy occurred at a Circle K store, where Dennis was shot in the chest and later died of his injuries in hospital.
The incident left the victim’s family and community facing the complexities of youth crime and the search for justice. The young suspect faces murder and robbery charges, FOX59 News reports.
Surveillance footage from the gas station helped authorities find the teen, who was arrested at his home shortly after the incident.
The circumstances leading up to Dennis’ death were particularly tragic as it was revealed that he was trying to make a purchase at the store when the young suspect attempted to rob him.
A scuffle ensued and Dennis pointed a gun at him.
Byron Dennis Jr.’s death has deeply affected his family, who remember him as a vibrant man with a passion for personal fitness and music-making who was affectionately known as “The Heartbreak Kid.”
His sister, Jasmine Dennis, released a poignant statement to FOX59 expressing the family’s pain and desire for accountability:
“You’re just a baby. You made a very, very wrong decision at a very young age… He just gave up his life, but you took a life… I don’t want to give him a slap in the face.”
Prosecutors are currently working to try the suspects as adults, underscoring the seriousness of the crime.
