After an 18-year-old was arrested in the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old, the suspect’s mother says that the two were best friends and that the shooting was not intentional. NBC6’s Laura Rodriguez reports
An 18-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old in Florida City on Saturday morning.
Jeron Smith is facing second-degree murder in the death of Damarion Bailey, 15. However, Smith's mother Angela Cade told NBC6 the fatal shooting was not intentional and that the two were best friends.
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According to an arrest report, Smith and Bailey were sitting in the courtyard of Smith’s home in Florida City when they saw two men riding their bikes.
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Smith told police he pulled out a gun and began to fire toward the unidentified males unprovoked. Those individuals dropped their bikes and ran.
Detectives said during the shooting, Bailey was struck in the head. Smith’s mother said she saw her son and Bailey before the shooting. She emphasized that they didn’t have any issues and were not in a fight.
"Everybody says about my son, as if he's a bad person, 'they got the killer this and that,'" Cade said. "It's not like that because he was his best friend and he was somebody that I loved. I feel sorry for the family too. Anything ya'll need me to help with I will do it."
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Florida City officers responded to the scene, near Northwest 13th Street and 5th Avenue, around 10:30 a.m. Saturday where they found Bailey with gunshot wounds. He died at the scene, according to Miami-Dade Police.
“When you running and you looking and you in a panic with all kinds of bullets, you don't know, you’re afraid," Cade said. "I don't know what happened because I wasn't really there but I know that’s my son’s best friend and I know he wouldn’t do nothing like that. I know that. I know that.”
Smith was out on felony bond in a different case at the time of this shooting Saturday morning.
Smith appeared in court Monday, where a judge ordered him held without bond.
Smith’s mother and uncle went to court and told the judge the uncle witnessed the shooting.
According to Smith’s uncle, several days before the shooting, a teen threatened Smith outside his home and put a gun to his head.
“He didn't pull the trigger because his mama was saying, 'Please don't kill my son,'" Demorian Pernell said.
