Capital Murder Suspect Tyrese Simmons Accused Of Killing Dallas 9-Year-Old Brandoniya Bennett
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The suspect accused of shooting and killing a 9-year-old girl in her Dallas apartment was arrested Thursday evening and has been charged with capital murder.
Tyrese Simmons, 19, turned himself in just hours after Dallas police identified him as the suspect in the death of Brandoniya Bennett. She was fatally shot while inside her apartment at the Roseland Townhomes in the 3500 block of Munger Avenue on Wednesday evening.
Police said Simmons considered himself a rapper and was upset about another rapper, 17-year-old Benny Fountain, who insulted him in his lyrics. According to police, the 19-year-old retaliated by firing shots into what he thought was Fountain's apartment.
One witness heard Simmons state that he was going to shoot at the residence, according to the affidavit.
Instead, it was the wrong unit and the 9-year-old child was struck by his bullets, killing her.
During a news conference Thursday afternoon, police identified Simmons as the suspect and released a picture of him. Later that evening, he turned himself in to authorities and was booked on a capital murder charge.
Simmons remains in jail with a bond set at $500,000.
Brandoniya's family described her as a free spirit and that she was looking forward to starting the fourth grade on Monday.
