"It doesn't make any sense": 10-year-old Sacramento boy shot and killed remembered; second boy suspected in his death
SACRAMENTO - Family and friends are in mourning after a 10-year-old boy was shot and killed. Another 10-year-old is accused of pulling the trigger.
The shooting happened on Saturday evening on Greenholme Dr. in the Foothill Farms area of Sacramento.
Keith Frierson, 10, was out riding the bike he had just gotten for Christmas when he was shot and killed.
"His brother had to see his little brother laying on the ground, covered in blood," said Nina Trepagnier who is the godmother of Keith. "It's not right and there's no excuse for it."
Trepagnier said Keith was a son, brother and a friend to many who had a great sense of humor and was never causing any trouble.
She had been best friends with Keith's mom for the past 25 years and was on the phone just a few minutes before the shooting happened.
"He was helping her bring in groceries and he had just gotten his bike for Christmas, and he wanted to go out there to ride his bike," said Trepagnier. "He was outside for all of 15 or 20 minutes just literally riding his bike right here with another little kid."
Another neighborhood 10-year-old boy was arrested for pulling the trigger. Detectives from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said the boy got the weapon out of his dad's car when he was grabbing him a pack of cigarettes.
"Dad's a felon. Dad's not legally allowed to own a gun to begin with," said Sergeant Amar Gandhi with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office. "The gun is actually stolen."
Sgt. Gandhi said the 10-year-old was showing off the gun and then shot at Keith.
Trepagnier said Keith, also known by close friends and family as KJ, was with his six-year-old buddy who witnessed the tragedy.
"There was no fighting. There was nothing that led up to this at all," said Trepagnier. "It doesn't make any sense."
She is trying to process the pain herself and how to explain it.
"The other little boy who was outside came up to me last night and was like, well who is going to play with me now?" said Trepagnier. "He said who is going to be my best friend? And I said he is always going to be your best friend. He will come and see you in your dreams."
Detectives also arrested the 10-year-old's dad, 53-year-old Arkete Davis, who they said threw the gun his son used in a garbage can to try and cover it up.
"This one rocked us," said Sgt. Gandhi. "It rocked the deputies on the ground that had to give CPR to a 10-year-old kid. This thing rocked the detectives who had to arrest a 10-year-old kid."
Keith's football coach, Miguel, was out at the growing memorial where the shooting happened on Monday morning.
"Guns aren't nothing to play with, said Miguel. "It is not a toy."
He said that does not understand this type of violence from children and that parents need to watch their kids.
"All you kids just need to stay in your lane and be kids," said Miguel. "Be kids and have fun. You have got your whole life to worry about the other stuff."
Miguel said that Keith was "raised right" and often would play with his own son who was around the same age as Keith.
The boy suspected of shooting the victim was arrested and booked into the Sacramento County Youth Detention Facility for a murder charge.
Davis was arrested and booked into jail on a firearm-related charge, child endangerment and accessory after the fact. He is being held in jail on a $500,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 3.
"You try so hard to make sure your kids are doing the right thing and it's just so negligent," said Trepagnier.
Keith went to school on the other side of town because his mom was hoping to give him a better education according to family friends.
She lost her own husband one year ago and worked as a RN in hospice to provide for her two boys. Now she is left with just Keith's older brother. She plans to move out of the home they have lived in for the past ten years because it is too painful.
Loved ones created this *GoFundMe to support Keith's family.
Sgt. Gandhi said the sheriff's office is working tirelessly to make an impactful change that will prevent something like this from ever happening again.
"We got to do something impactful. We got to do something involving some of these outside groups to really make a difference with the youth. This thing starts with the kids," said Sgt. Gandhi. "That family dynamic right there that kid is up against the odds. There is virtually no chance for him statistically to succeed and get out of there. And that's something we have got to break. Somehow, some way we will find a way."
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