Nico Brown, Florida teen arrested in drive by shooting deaths of Ajahliyah Hashim, 6, and Isaiyah Wright, 19, – as cops probe whether teen was intended victim.
A 15-year-old Florida boy was observed grinning moments after being charged in a drive by shooting that led to the deaths of a six year old girl and that of a 19 year old man.
Nico Brown was arrested in Orlando Saturday on suspicion of first-degree murder in the deaths of Isaiyah Wright, 19, and Ajahliyah Hashim, 6, after the pair were struck by stray bullets during a drive by shooting earlier that week.
The girl’s mother was also injured after bullets entered a residence nearby where the shooting took place on Tuesday. It remained unclear who Brown was shooting at.
6 year old girl and mom were not intended victims
The teen flashed a giant grin as he was being led in handcuffs to a waiting police car while wearing a T-shirt, shorts and slides.
The 6-year-old girl and her mom had been in the living room of their home when shots were fired from a passing car Tuesday night at 8:20 p.m, Orlando police stated in a Facebook release.
Ajahliyah was taken to a local hospital but died of her injuries two days later, ClickOrlando reported.
Police stated that neither Ajahliyah nor her mom — who suffered non-life-threatening injuries — were intended targets. Suspicions remained if the 19 year old may have been the intended hit victim.
Was 19 year old fatal victim intended drive by shooting victim?
‘She was such a beautiful girl, so quiet,’ a neighbor who called 911 said of Ajahliyah.
The neighbor said she ‘heard rapid gunfire’ and called 911.
Several bullet markings cased the victims’ home, with dozens more outside.
‘They were really shooting,’ the neighbor said.
Wright — who had just turned 19 on Aug. 23 — was pronounced dead by medics upon being taken to hospital. It was not immediately clear how he was connected, police said.
‘I don’t know if he was a target,’ Wright’s mother, Stacy Hall, said during a candlelight vigil held Friday night in her son’s honor, according to WESH.
‘I don’t know if he was set up. There’s a lot of things going through my head regarding my son.’
Two families mourn
‘That was my son, and his family is mourning,’ Hall said. ‘His dad’s side is mourning, and nobody deserves to lose a child.’
Ajahliyah was a student at Eagle’s Nest Elementary School according to Superintendent Maria Vazquez.
‘Our students should not have to live in a world where their lives are in danger in their own neighborhoods,’ Vazquez said in a statement. ‘I cannot imagine the pain Ajahliyah’s family is going through. We can not accept that these tragedies have become all too common in our community.’
Authorities continue to investigate.
