UPDATE: 3-year-old shooting victim identified
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The three-year-old shooting victim has been identified from Monday night’s shooting in Columbus.
Two people have been arrested and made appearances before a judge.
Three‑year‑old Ikael Burkett was shot Monday night inside a home on the 400 block of 15th Avenue South.
Columbus Police said officers were not called to the scene, instead, they were notified by the hospital after the child arrived with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
“It’s just alarming to me that a three-year-old can be shot and no one picks up the phone and call 911,” said Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry.
The child was driven to Baptist Memorial Hospital, Golden Triangle in a private vehicle and later airlifted to another hospital for treatment.
Chief Joseph Daughtry said the child’s mother was not home at the time.
Instead, Ikael had been left in the care of two men, 25‑year‑old DeMarco Brewer and 25‑year‑old Shamar Glaspie, both now charged with felony child endangerment.
“That child was hurt by a gun shot when they were left in the custody of two adults,” said Daughtry.
Investigators said the case has been complicated by conflicting versions of events.
“This investigation has taken a lot of weird turns because we were trying to get to the bottom of what really happened with this child,” said Daughtry.
Police said Glaspie turned himself in late Monday night, while Brewer was arrested at the hospital after investigators say his account raised concerns.
The chief said he briefly saw the child at the hospital, a moment he said was difficult to forget.
“I went into grandpa mode… I stroke his hand, and he grabbed my finger.”
Daughtry said this case is a reminder that children depend on adults, and the community, to protect them.
“I understand that we can’t deal with grown folks making decisions when they want get back at (others) or get (their) lick back, but these babies are off limits,” said Daughtry.
“It just breaks my heart that a baby was shot because of two grown men arguing. It don’t make (any) sense,” said Renee Jordan, a Columbus resident.
Brewer and Glaspie both have a bond set at $100,000.
“We have got to get to a point in life where we put these… guns down. It’s getting ridiculous because people are carrying guns. They’re using guns and nobody is using them responsibly,” said Daughtry.
The current condition of the child is unknown.
This is an ongoing investigation.
