In a Phoenix motel room on the night of August 10, 2025, 14-year-old Jeremiah Ricci lost his life in what police have described as a tragic accidental shooting. The young male was in the motel near 27th Avenue and Union Hills Drive with his teenage brother and their mother, 40-year-old Jewell Griffen.
According to authorities, Griffen allowed her two sons to handle a firearm inside their motel room. Tragically, the weapon discharged, and Jeremiah was struck by a single gunshot wound.
When police officers arrived at approximately 10:45 p.m., they found the teenager unresponsive. Despite the efforts of the Phoenix Fire Department, Jeremiah was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Griffen reportedly left the motel but returned a short time later and was taken into custody by the Phoenix Police Department. She was subsequently booked on multiple charges, including child abuse. Homicide detectives were called to investigate the incident further. Multiple people who were in the motel room at the time of the shooting were detained for questioning as police worked to piece together the events that led to the fatal incident. The investigation into the death of Jeremiah Ricci remains ongoing, and further charging decisions are pending its completion.
