In the winter of 2014, the life of 14-year-old DelVonte Jenkins, a Black male, was tragically cut short in Las Vegas, Nevada. On the evening of December 21st, DelVonte was in the backyard of his home in the 3600 block of Elegant Saint Court, near Pecos and Gowan roads, with a group of friends. What should have been a typical evening of camaraderie turned into a scene of sorrow when a single gunshot echoed through the neighborhood.
Family members inside the house heard the shot and rushed
outside to find DelVonte lying in the yard, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. Emergency services were called, and the young teen was transported to University Medical Center. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, DelVonte succumbed to his injury and was pronounced dead. The abrupt and violent end to a young life sent ripples of grief and shock through his family and the community.
In the immediate aftermath, DelVonte's family expressed their belief that the shooting was a tragic accident. His aunt, Lakisha Hawthorne, became a voice for the family's pain, telling reporters that one of the friends present had a handgun. At some point, the gun discharged, and the bullet struck DelVonte. The family was left to grapple not only with their loss but also with the question of how a teenager came to be in possession of a firearm. A candlelight vigil was held in front of the family's home, where nearly 200 friends, relatives, and neighbors gathered to mourn and comfort one another.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's homicide unit launched an investigation into the shooting. As is standard procedure in such cases, they treated the death as a homicide. However, in the days following the incident, police did not release information regarding whether they viewed the shooting as accidental or intentional. There were no immediate arrests made in connection with DelVonte's death, and no suspects were publicly identified. The available information from online sources does not provide a final resolution to the police investigation, leaving the question of legal accountability for the death of DelVonte Jenkins unanswered.
