SACRAMENTO, CA – In a startling incident over the weekend, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office reports that a 10-year-old boy fatally shot another child of the same age using a stolen gun he took from his father’s car. The tragedy occurred on Saturday afternoon in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Foothill Farms, intensifying concerns over gun safety and child access to firearms.
Responding to the scene at approximately 4:30 p.m. in the 4700 block of Greenholme Drive, deputies attempted CPR on the young victim, who succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. Members of the community and the boy’s family mourn the loss, remembering the victim, Keith “KJ” Frierson, as a bright and well-loved child with a future full of promise.
The investigation revealed that the youthful suspect accessed a firearm while fetching cigarettes for his father, 53-year-old Arkete Davis. Despite being forbidden by law to possess firearms due to prior legal issues, Davis’s child allegedly retrieved the gun from his father’s vehicle and, shortly thereafter, used it in the fatal shooting of young Frierson.
Family and officials were left shocked at the tragic death, with many calling attention to the devastating impact of irresponsible gun ownership. The Sheriff’s Office found the firearm discarded in a nearby trashcan, with evidence suggesting it was stolen in 2017 and Davis had attempted to dispose of it post-incident.
Legal proceedings swiftly unfolded as the 10-year-old suspect was detained and now faces murder charges at the Sacramento County Youth Detention Facility. Meanwhile, Davis has been booked on multiple counts, including child endangerment and being an accessory to the crime, with a set bail of $500,000 awaiting his court appearance on January 3.
Sheriff Jim Cooper expressed his deep concern over the incident on social media, lamenting the avoidable nature of the tragedy. He highlighted issues of illegal gun possession and the emotional toll on another young child who witnessed the entire episode. Cooper advocates for a sustained focus on illegal gun use that leads to violence, vowing that the Sheriff’s Department will prioritize addressing these issues in the year ahead.
