A Georgia father is accusing a group of teenagers of being behind his 13-old-son’s shooting death on Valentine’s Day. In an interview with FOX 5 Atlanta, Harold Travis said his son Jaeden was gunned down by the teenagers after he was challenged to come outside his home for a BB gun war.
Travis claimed the teenager who challenged his son to come outside had been picking on the deceased victim, adding that he and his wife had even reported him several times. And though Travis said he told Jaeden to remain indoors, he said his son did not heed his warning and stepped outside. Jaeden was fatally shot moments later.
“They couldn’t save my baby. God didn’t save him either. I begged God to save my son,” Travis said. The grieving father also said he ran after his son when he stepped out of the house.
“By the time I got to the middle of the street, I heard ‘pow pow pow’, and my son fell. They had shot him right here,” Travis said.
In the wake of the shooting, Travis said he contacted paramedics, adding that the teen he identified and other juveniles fled the scene in a car. “I said ‘Don’t you close your eyes on me. Don’t you die on me, boy. Do not close your eyes, Jaeden,” an emotional Travis said.
Jaeden later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. The deceased teen’s parents believe they know the motive behind the shooting as well as the suspect. “For the last three years, we got police reports out on this same kid,” Jaeden’s mother said. “He’s been after my baby. They jumped him one time, and I had to jump in it.”
Jaeden’s parents also said they know why the known teen and other juveniles were always picking on their son. “They were just jealous of him, jealous of what he would wear,” Travis said told FOX 5 Atlanta.
Authorities are yet to establish the motive behind the fatal incident. Arrests are also yet to be made.
