BLAME

Prosecutors Won’t Charge Boy Who Fatally Shot 10-Year-Old

The boy’s father, whose gun was used, has “sole criminal liability” for the tragic death, prosecutors say.

A California boy who fatally shot a 10-year-old after finding his father’s gun in a car will not face charges, prosecutors say. But his 53-year-old father, Arkete Davis will, as prosecutors say he “knew or certainly should have known” at the time of the shooting that his illegal gun was easily accessible to his son. “Based on the facts currently known, the sole criminal liability and responsibility for the child’s death lay exclusively with this Defendant,” the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement Wednesday. Davis was arrested after the fatal shooting Saturday; police say he tried to ditch the gun after his son fired it at 10-year-old Keith Frierson, killing him. Witnesses said the boy picked up the gun and said, ‘See, I told you my dad had a gun’ before firing it, according to prosecutors. Davis faces firearm-related charges along with child endangerment and being an accessory after the fact, but no murder charge.