Current:Home > StocksFlorida teen fatally shoots sister after argument over Christmas presents, sheriff says-DB Wealth Institute B2 Reviews & Ratings
Florida teen fatally shoots sister after argument over Christmas presents, sheriff says
lotradecoin projects View Date:2024-12-25 17:03:50
Two teenage brothers in Florida have been taken into custody after one of them allegedly shot and killed their older sister in an argument over Christmas presents, authorities said.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said in a news conference that the incident began Sunday afternoon while the two brothers were out Christmas shopping with their mother, older sister Abrielle Baldwin, 23, and their sister's two young children at a store in Largo, a city about 20 miles west of Tampa.
While in the store, the 15-year-old became jealous and accused his mother of buying more gifts for his 14-year-old brother.
"They had this family spat about who was getting what and what money was being spent on who," Gualtieri said Tuesday.
The family left the store and headed to their grandmother's house, where the grandmother was going to watch Baldwin's children – a 11-month-old boy and a 6-year-old boy – while she went to work. At the house, the argument continued.
At some point, the 14-year-old took out a handgun and threatened to shoot his older brother, the sheriff said. An uncle who was home at the time split the two boys up, and had the younger brother move out onto the driveway. Baldwin, who was carrying her 11-month-old baby in a carrier, went outside to speak with her brother.
"You all need to leave that stuff alone," she said to the 14-year-old. "Why you trying to start it? It's Christmas."
The teen "used some very very derogatory language" before he threatened to shoot her and "shoot the baby, too," Gualtieri said.
He then approached his sister and shot her in the chest with a semi-automatic handgun. Baldwin fell to the ground as did her baby, who was unharmed because he was in a carrier, the sheriff said.
Hearing the gunshot, the 15-year-old comes out of the house, said "you shot my ... sister" and then fired a handgun at his younger brother, striking him in the stomach.
The older brother threw the gun in a neighbor's backyard and fled to a relative's house, where he was later taken into custody by deputies. Because he made "self-harm statements," he was taken to a mental health facility, where he will be evaluated and then released to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Gualtieri said.
Baldwin was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead on Christmas Eve. Her children will be placed in the care of her immediate family, Gualtieri said. Baldwin worked at a senior living facility.
The 14-year-old is in stable condition after undergoing surgery at a hospital for his gunshot wound. He will be released, like his brother, to the authorities. The state attorney's office will decide whether to charge him as an adult for the death of his sister.
"Now you've got a 11-month-old and a 6-year-old boy ... their mom is dead at the hands of a punk who was upset because he didn't get enough Christmas presents from his mom," Gualtieri said. "It's ridiculous."
The sheriff said multiple family members and nearby residents knew the teenagers "routinely carried guns." He expressed concern over the high number of stolen guns on the street, saying "This is the worst I've ever seen it." Most of the stolen guns, Gualtieri said, are either sold on the street or have been taken out of unlocked cars. The two teenage brothers were arrested in connection with numerous car burglaries in May, he said.
veryGood! (53993)
Related
- New York county signs controversial mask ban meant to hide people's identities in public
- Biden to give extended interview to ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Friday
- Suki Waterhouse Makes Rare Comment About Bradley Cooper Break Up
- Rick Ross says he 'can't wait to go back' to Vancouver despite alleged attack at festival
- TikToker Nicole Renard Warren Claps Back Over Viral Firework Display at Baby’s Sex Reveal
- Environmental groups decry attempt to delay shipping rules intended to save whales
- Arthur Crudup: What to know about the bluesman who wrote Elvis’s first hit and barely got paid
- USPS raising stamp prices: Last chance to lock in Forever stamp rate ahead of increase
- 'Alien: Romulus' movie review: Familiar sci-fi squirms get a sheen of freshness
- Mom accused of throwing newborn baby out second-story window charged with homicide
Ranking
- Alabama lawyer accused of sexually assaulting handcuffed inmate, lawsuit says
- Suki Waterhouse Details Very Intense First Meeting with Robert Pattinson
- Horoscopes Today, July 1, 2024
- Blind artist who was told you don't look blind has a mission to educate: All disabilities are a spectrum
- The Sunscreen and Moisturizer Duo That Saved My Skin on a Massively Hot European Vacation
- Powerball winning numbers for July 1 drawing: Jackpot rises to $138 million
- Grandfather drowns near dam after heroic rescue helps grandchild to safety
- Officer who killed Tamir Rice leaves new job in West Virginia
Recommendation
-
51 Must-Try Stress Relief & Self-Care Products for National Relaxation Day (& National Wellness Month)
-
2 men were arrested on public road within Oprah’s Hawaii ranch. They’re suspected of illegal hunting
-
Savannah Chrisley Shares Update on Mom Julie Chrisley's Prison Release
-
Supreme Court refuses to hear bite mark case
-
'Business done right': Why the WWE-TNA partnership has been a success
-
Best friends Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin are WNBA rookies with different experiences
-
Woman found dead in Lake Anna, the third body found at the Virginia lake since May
-
Virginia Senate takes no action on move to repeal military tuition program restrictions