Investigation Continues In Fatal Shooting Involving A Brother And Sister

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An argument between a little brother and his big sister apparently leads to a fatal shooting in Monroe County.

A 14-year old is dead.

A 9-year old in shock.

And a family will never be the same.

It’s a part of life. Siblings argue.

In fact, Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell says the children were fighting over a video game controller, but that’s when he says the situation turned deadly.

A parent’s worst nightmare played out in real life Saturday, at a home on Dryden Lane.

14-year-old Dijonae White was shot while playing a video game.

The shooter, her 9-year-old brother, says Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell.

When deputies arrived on scene, they found the accused shooter in shock and tears.

“We got him in there and talked to him and got him calmed down and talked to him and we just asked him, ‘what happened?’ He told us that they were playing a video game and he wanted the controller and she wouldn’t let him have it, so he went over to the nightstand, where there was a gun, and he got it, and come up behind her, and shot her,” says Sheriff Cantrell.

Cantrell says the .25 caliber gun belongs to the mother’s friend, who also lives at the house, where the shooting took place.

“The mother heard the gunshot and she ran to the bedroom and found the little girl laying on the floor,” says Cantrell.

From there, she was rushed to Amory, then transported to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis.

The injury was fatal. Dijonae died Sunday night.

Sheriff Cantrell says it’s a case that’s unimaginable.

“Kids now, they play these video games. They see these games on all of these, little games that they play, and you know, people get shot and killed and then, they hit the reset button and everything is okay,” Cantrell continued, “Well, in real life you can’t hit the reset button, so I don’t know if this had anything to do with this or not.”

Sheriff Cantrell is asking his community to keep the family and the investigators in their prayers.

This is a 9-year-old child accused in this shooting. What happens next?

Sheriff Cantrell says, to his knowledge, the child is at home with his mother.

This is a case for juvenile court. A difficult case.

The District Attorney’s Office will make the decision if it wants to try someone in this case.

The sheriff also says it’s not known at this time if any charges will be brought against anyone else.

The Tupelo Public School District says they’re saddened by the tragic death of 14-year-old Dijonae White.

TPSD Superintendent Dr. Gearl Loden says White was an 8th grader at Tupelo Middle School.

He says she was on the basketball team and involved in many school activities.

The superintendent says White was a very well thought of young lady and is going to be missed by many.

“I know there has been a lot of people upset today, of course students. Counselors have done a wonderful job working with them and administration at the middle school and I commend our staff at the middle school today, but at the same time, allowing people to talk and express their thoughts about the loss of a fellow friend,” says Dr. Gearl Loden.

The school will have extra counselors available for students during this difficult time.

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