PHOENIX — Authorities have identified the 14-year-old boy fatally shot at a Phoenix motel Sunday night as Jeremiah Ricci. Police say his mother, 40-year-old Jewell Griffen, is accused of allowing him and his teenage brother to handle a firearm shortly before it went off.
Officers were called to the motel near 27th Avenue and Union Hills Drive around 10:45 p.m. after reports of gunfire. When they arrived, they found Ricci unresponsive with a gunshot wound. Phoenix Fire Department personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
Multiple people inside the room were detained, but Griffen had already left, according to police. She returned later that night and was taken into custody. Griffen faces several charges, including child abuse, and detectives say more could follow as the investigation continues.
Police allege the shooting happened when the gun discharged while the brothers were handling it in the motel room. Authorities have not released additional details about how the weapon was obtained or why it was present in the room.
