A tragic shooting has taken place at a Baytown apartment complex playground, leading to the death of 14-year-old Anaya Zachary and the apprehension of a 13-year-old boy suspected of the killing. As reported on ABC 13, the incident occurred in the 4600 block of Village Lane around 4 p.m. on a recent Friday afternoon, sending shockwaves through the Baytown community.
Zachary, described by Click2Houston as an honor-roll student and a kind-hearted individual was reportedly living with her godmother, Sonya Stanford, at the time of the incident, the altercation seemingly stemmed from earlier tensions, possibly on a school bus and the young suspect, whose name has not been disclosed due to his age dressed in black, wearing a mask, and dramatically called out Anaya's name before shooting her.
Stanford, in a statement obtained by Click2Houston, expressed her disbelief and frustration over the circumstances leading up to the shooting, lamenting the fact that if she had known about the bus altercation, she would have intervened to prevent the deadly outcome. The suspect is now in custody, with Baytown police conducting a thorough investigation into the unsettling event, while police have yet to disclose specific charges, there has also been speculation on whether the boy's parents could be facing charges for their potential role in the availability of the firearm used in the crime.
Despite the anguish and sorrow, Stanford conveyed her willingness to forgive the young boy responsible for the act as she told Click2Houston, "I'm not angry with you, I'm not upset with you, but I want you to know that I forgive you as of tonight and I put you into the hands of the Lord." The family's tragic experience has left the local community reeling, with many grappling to understand the underlying issues that led to such a devastating act of violence by one so young, Stanford criticized the boy's parents for their negligence in securing the firearm, declaring, "You should have put your weapon up so your 13-year-old son wouldn’t have gotten this gun and shot my child." Further details regarding the ongoing investigation and the responses from Goose Creek ISD have not been provided, however, updates are expected as authorities continue to piece together the events that unfolded.
