A 16-year-old boy has been charged with the fatal shooting of his 15-year-old girlfriend and her nine-year-old brother in Baltimore, United States, after allegedly threatening to kill the teenager if she became involved with other boys.
The suspect, Keith Maurice James Jr., is facing two counts of first-degree murder over the July 7 shooting that claimed the lives of Giovanna Myrie, 15, and her younger brother, Steve Allen, 9.
Investigators said the tragic attack came just days after Myrie reportedly confided in a friend about disturbing threats allegedly made by James during their relationship.
According to court documents, the teenager sent her friend a chilling text message that read: “Keith said if I cheat he finna put the gun inside me. Help me.”
The same friend told investigators that on July 4, Myrie and James had joined a FaceTime call while lying in bed, during which James was allegedly seen holding a gun.
Police said that on the day of the shooting, Myrie informed the friend that James was expected to visit her home at about 4 p.m.
Investigators later analysed the suspect’s mobile phone records and neighbourhood surveillance footage, which allegedly placed him near the residence at approximately 4:20 p.m.
Hours later, at about 7:20 p.m., Myrie’s mother returned home to a horrific scene, discovering both her daughter and nine-year-old son dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
Authorities described the younger victim as having no involvement in the dispute.
Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said Steve Allen was an “innocent bystander.”
During questioning, police said James admitted he had been in a relationship with Myrie for about two months but claimed he had not seen her in person since July 4.
The teenager was arrested on Tuesday and appeared before a court on Thursday, where his lawyer waived a bond hearing.
Reacting to the killings, McCullough said the case highlights the growing menace of violence among teenagers, particularly in dating relationships.
“This case highlights for me a couple issues. One is juvenile violence itself, violence by juveniles on other juveniles. It’s just dating violence, teen violence between people who have relationships, so we need to be mindful of those things,” the police chief said.
The case has reignited concerns over teen dating violence in the United States, with investigators continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.
