8-year-old boy fatally shot himself with uncle’s unattended gun, authorities allege – NJ.com

The 8-year-old boy who was found dead from a gunshot wound this weekend at a Newark home shot himself with his uncle’s gun that was left unattended, authorities said.

Officers found the boy, identified Tuesday as Jahmeer Allen, dead Sunday night from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a home on the 100 block of Schuyler Avenue, according to a joint statement from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Newark Police Department. Allen was disabled and had to use a wheelchair, authorities said.

At the time of the shooting, there was a 10-year-old boy in the house as well as 23-year-old Jahnaya Black, Allen’s aunt, who was sleeping, police said.

Black and Allen’s grandmother and legal guardian, Shaneefah Allen, 43, were charged with second degree endangering the welfare of a child, the office said. Shaneefah Allen was not home at the time the shooting occurred, officials said.

Jahmeer’s 18-year-old uncle, Marquis Wright, was charged with second degree unlawful possession of a weapon, third degree endangering the welfare of a child, third degree transporting a manufactured firearm without a serial number and the disorderly persons offense of allowing a minor access to a loaded firearm, authorities said. It is alleged that Wright brought the gun into the apartment and left it unattended.

Shaneefah Allen and Black were in custody Tuesday afternoon while Wright remained at large, the office said.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Tuesday shared his condolences with Jahmeer’s family.

“My condolences to the family,” Baraka said. “No matter what goes on, losing an 8-year-old is a tragic event. It is a horrible situation for the family, for everybody involved in it.”

A vigil with candles was set up at the home where the shooting occurred.

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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.