Authorities in Louisiana have brought charges against a 10-year-old boy after allegedly shot his 9-year-old friend on purpose.
In an interview with KALB, Lakisha Ledguies said that her son Tre’Michael and his 10-year-old friend were hanging out on December 6 when the juvenile suspect allegedly opened fire on him.
“I lost it. Not my baby. Not my baby,” Ledguies said.
Tre’Michael was taken to a Baton Rouge hospital in the aftermath of the shooting. Ledguies said her son later told her that his 10-year-old friend intentionally opened fire on him.
“When the tube first came out of his mouth and he was able to talk, the first word was me, ‘Mama, Mama, he shot me on purpose,’” Ledguies said.
Though the Alexandria Police Department initially deemed that the shooting was accidental, they later determined it was deliberate. The 10-year-old suspect has since been arrested and charged with second-degree battery and juvenile in possession of a handgun.
“It was in my gut feeling that it kind of was on purpose because my baby doesn’t be around guns,” Ledguies said.
Authorities were unable to establish how the 10-year-old boy got hold of the gun. “I have got phone calls saying that he’d been having a gun. It probably came from a family member, but I really couldn’t tell you where it came from,” Ledguies said.
Ledguies also entreated parents to take guns away from their children to prevent incidents of such nature from happening.
“Take the guns away. Take them away. They don’t need them,” she told KALB.
A GoFundMe has since been set up to help raise funds for the victim’s medical expenses. “The injuries he sustained are severe—he has lost his right kidney, half of his left lung, and his intestines were shattered by the bullet. Our family is still in shock, and every day brings new challenges as he fights to recover from this traumatic event,” the fundraiser states.
“The road ahead is long and filled with uncertainty. The funds raised will go directly toward his mounting medical bills, the travel required for specialized care, and the ongoing recovery process. Every contribution, no matter the size, will help ease the financial burden and allow us to focus on supporting his healing and well-being.”
