14-year-old girl charged with murder in the shooting of 11-year-old boy in Dallas

By Amanda Watts, CNN

A 14-year-old girl was charged with murder Monday following the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy who was hit by a stray bullet, according to Dallas police.

Police were called to a report of a shooting at an apartment complex in south Dallas on Sunday afternoon at about 2 p.m. As part of the investigation, police determined a fight was going on between two girls in the parking lot of the complex.

“One juvenile suspect retrieved a handgun and shot in the direction of the female she was fighting; however, the shot struck a male juvenile bystander,” police said in a statement.

The 11-year-old boy was transported to the hospital where he died from his injuries, police said.

The suspect initially ran from the location but was later taken into custody and charged, and she remains at the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center, police said. A weapon was recovered during the investigation, the agency added.

Police are not releasing the names of those involved in the incident due to their ages.

Vashunte Settles identified the boy as her son De’Evan McFall and said he died in front of her, according to CNN affiliate KTVT.

“Me having to witness it and be there … I’m never gonna get over it,” she told the affiliate.

Settles said her daughter was fighting with a 14-year-old girl who then pulled out a gun and shot the fatal bullet, missing her but hitting De’Evan.

“He was so innocent. He definitely didn’t deserve it,” Settles said. “I just wish the younger generation would stop and think before they do irrational things, because in this situation, I’m not the only one hurting.”

Settles said she will miss De’Evan’s big smile and his love of sports.

“Take this story and do something productive with it. Let my son not have died in vain and let this save somebody else’s child,” she said.

De’Evan was a fifth grader with the DeSoto Independent School District, according to a statement from the district. He was “described as sweet and charismatic by his teachers and will be greatly missed by both his teachers and peers,” the statement said.

“Losing a student is one of the most difficult experiences one can have as an educator, it is akin to losing a child as these are our children,” DeSoto ISD Superintendent of Schools Usamah Rodgers said. “My heart and condolences go out to the McFall family. DeSoto ISD will continue to wrap its arms around the family of De’Evan McFall as well as his school family and our entire district.”

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