A tragic incident unfolded at a Phoenix motel on Sunday night, where a teenage boy was fatally shot, and his mother has since been arrested. The shooting, which took place at the Studio 6 Extended Stay near 27th Avenue and Union Hills Drive around 10:45 p.m., has been characterized as accidental by authorities. When police arrived, they discovered the unresponsive teen with a gunshot wound; paramedics declared him dead at the scene.
As reported by FOX 10 Phoenix, the mother, 40-year-old Jewell Griffen, had initially left the area after the police arrived but later returned and was detained. Witnesses informed investigators that Griffen allowed her two sons to handle the gunwhich that resulted in the fatal shooting of the teen.
Following her return to the crime scene, Griffen was taken into custody and is facing multiple charges, one of which is child abuse. The chaotic aftermath of the shooting had neighbors in shock, including one who, eager to describe the situation, revealed to FOX 10 Phoenix,"Next thing you know, I hear people screaming outside, and I was like, I need to go investigate this." He continued, "A lady is covered in blood, and then she was like, 'my son got shot! Someone call 911.' And so I called 911."
While the teen has not been publicly identified, the Police Department has made it clear, in words stated by Phoenix Police Sgt. Phil Krynsky, the investigation remains active. As detailed by ABC 15, any further developments, including additional charges, will depend on the ongoing investigation and the completion of next of kin notifications.
