Man wanted in Baltimore teen Jada Sellers' death kills himself when SWAT arrives to execute warrant, police say

The man wanted in the killing of Baltimore teen Jada Sellers killed himself as a SWAT team arrived to execute a search warrant at a residence in Woodlawn, the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) said Friday.

The warrant for 18-year-old Christian Hursey was served around 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Police said he was sought in connection with the deadly shooting of 17-year-old Sellers on July 31 in Southwest Baltimore.

"Upon entering the residence, officers heard a single gunshot coming from the basement," BPD said in a statement Friday. "Officers immediately responded and located 18-year-old Christian Hursey suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Hursey was pronounced deceased at the scene."

"A tragic ending to an already tragic case"

"Last night's events mark a tragic ending to an already tragic case, in which two young people lost their lives to senseless gun violence," Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said in a statement. 

"The Baltimore Police Department extends its deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of Jada Sellers and all those involved," Worley added. "While the circumstances surrounding their deaths are very different, both families are now left to grieve the devastating loss of two young people. Our thoughts remain with them during this incredibly difficult time."

Sellers' family released a statement after Hursey's death was announced, saying the news comes as "little comfort."

"While we are thankful that he is no longer able to hurt anyone else, we recognize that the factors of his life that led him to commit such a heinous act are still present in our society.  We won't find full solace until all girls and women are safe from the sin and crime of interpersonal violence," the statement read. "Jada's legacy will extend far beyond this moment and continue to inspire us all."

Sellers and Hursey were in a relationship

Sellers' cousin told CBS News Baltimore that she and Hursey used to be in a relationship and he was known to her family. 

"Jada's mom and dad opened their doors to him, allowed him to come in and really embraced him as family," Heber Brown III said in an interview Thursday. 

Sellers, a 17-year-old student at Milford Mill Academy, was shot just after midnight on July 31 in the 700 block of Lyndhurst Street. She died nearly two weeks later, surrounded by loved ones at University of Maryland Medical Center.

WJZ Investigates spoke to Sellers' cosmetology teacher, who is heartbroken over her death. 

"I believe that you go through a series of emotions when it comes to these things -- you're mad, sometimes you're angry or sad, and then sometimes you're happy to have been blessed to have someone like Jada in your life," said teacher Kyra Hamond. "Now, instead of being angry about what happened, I am thankful to have known her."

When asked whether Sellers ever spoke about Hursey, she replied, "Of course."

"Jada was very much for Christian. They were always going out on little dates. The family was very welcoming to him. They just recently went on a cruise together," Hamond said. "So it was a shock when it came, because as far as we know, there were no red flags as far as I'm concerned, because she was very much in love and very much smitten by Christian."

She added Sellers' death is having a profound impact on her fellow students.

"School starts in a few days, and we have this heavy on our hearts. We still have our children at Milford Mill who are grieving for her. It's a long road that we have to basically face when it comes to this tremendous loss," Hamond said. "She loved her family. She loved life, and she loved her friends. She loved to travel. She loved to shop. She loved to look good, and she had her whole life ahead of her."

Hursey's family history of domestic violence

CBS News Baltimore has learned Hursey had a traumatic past. In 2017, his father, Dominick Hursey, shot and killed his mother as she slept. It was a tumultuous relationship, and she had filed numerous protective orders against him, saying she feared for her life. 

"Growing up and being exposed to violence can make one more likely to commit violence later in life," said Adam Rosenberg, the executive director of LifeBridge Health's Center for Hope. "One in three teens in the United States will experience physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from a dating partner before adulthood."

Rosenberg said the case also speaks to the prevalence of firearms. 

"There's a constant line that firearms are being used in domestic violence and intimate partner violence," he said. "Firearm violence isn't just a city Safe Streets problem. It is a problem that affects all of us, and we need to be able to grapple with the fact that children who have access to a firearm are using it to kill their girlfriend. This is not the first time."

Just last month, a young brother and sister were shot and killed in Baltimore County, police believe by the sister's 16-year-old boyfriend. 

Anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts is urged to dial 988.