Teen dead, his mother arrested after Phoenix motel room shooting, PD says
PD: Mother arrested after teen son was killed in shooting
A teen is dead after a shooting at a north Phoenix motel Sunday, Aug. 10, near 27th Avenue and Union Hills Drive. Police arrested the teen's mother in connection with the incident. FOX 10's Lauren Clark has the details.
PHOENIX - Phoenix Police say a teen boy was killed inside a Phoenix motel room on Sunday, Aug. 10, and his mother was arrested.
What we know:
Police said the shooting happened at around 10:45 p.m. at the Studio 6 Extended Stay motel near 27th Avenue and Union Hills Drive.
"When officers arrived, they found an unresponsive teenage male with an apparent gunshot wound. The Phoenix Fire Department arrived on the scene and pronounced the teenager deceased. Officers detained multiple people inside the motel room and learned that the victim’s mother, 40-year-old Jewell Griffen, left the area shortly after police arrived. She later returned to the scene and was taken into custody," Phoenix Police Sgt. Phil Krynsky said on Aug. 11.
Jewell Griffen
Witnesses reportedly told investigators that the teen and his brother were allowed by their mother to handle a gun inside their motel room.
In just a few moments, the gun went off, striking the teen boy.
Griffen was booked into jail on suspicion of several charges, including child abuse.
The teen boy was identified as Jeremiah Ricci, 14.
What they're saying:
A neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was in the next room when he heard what sounded like "a giant crash."
"Next thing you know, I hear people screaming outside, and I was like, I need to go investigate this," he said. "A lady is covered in blood, and then she was like, 'my son got shot! Someone call 911.' And so I called 911."
What's next:
"The investigation remains active, and any additional information remains part of an ongoing investigation. Further charging decisions will be made after the investigation is complete. Next of kin notifications are pending," Sgt. Krynsky said.