In the late hours of a Sunday evening in Newark, New Jersey, a tragic incident unfolded that resulted in the death of 8-year-old Jahmeer Allen. On August 29, 2021, police responded to a call from the 100 block of Schuyler Avenue, where they found the young boy with a fatal, self-inflicted gunshot wound. Jahmeer, a disabled child who used a wheelchair, was in the home with his 10-year-old sibling and his aunt, who was asleep at the time of the shooting.
The subsequent investigation by the
Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force revealed that the firearm belonged to the boy's uncle. It is alleged that the 18-year-old uncle, Marquis Wright, had brought the gun into the apartment and left it unattended. This act of negligence led to the young boy finding the weapon. The preliminary investigation concluded that the child's fatal injuries were self-inflicted.
In the wake of this tragedy, three of Jahmeer's family members faced criminal charges. His grandmother and legal guardian, 43-year-old Shaneefah Allen, and his 23-year-old aunt, Jahnaya Black, were both charged with endangering the welfare of a child. While his grandmother was not home at the time, his aunt was the only adult present in the house when the shooting occurred. Both women were taken into custody. The uncle, Marquis Wright, faced multiple charges, including unlawful possession of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child, and allowing a minor access to a loaded firearm. At the time of the initial reports, he remained at large.
