In the winter of 2019, a family dispute in Birmingham, Alabama, escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 5-year-old Ta'Narius 'TJ' Moore Jr. The young boy, a male, was caught in the crossfire when two female family members allegedly began shooting at each other outside an apartment complex. TJ was struck in the head by a stray bullet and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The incident, which occurred in December 2019, led to the arrest of Rickkia Allen, who was 29 years old at the time. Allen, identified as the victim's cousin, was subsequently charged with capital murder in connection with TJ's death. The charge was elevated to capital murder because the child was inside a vehicle when he was shot.
In October 2020, a grand jury indicted Rickkia Allen on the charge of capital murder. Following the indictment, the state of Alabama announced its intention to seek the death penalty in the case against her. Reports from the time indicated that TJ's mother was also involved in the altercation that led to the fatal shooting. Tragically, TJ's father had also been a victim of gun violence two years prior to his son's death.
