Teen accused of fatally shooting sister holding her baby during Christmas gift dispute

Two Florida teenagers were arrested after one of them allegedly fatally shot their sister while she held her infant son after they got into a dispute over Christmas presents, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Police responded to a shooting on Christmas Eve to find Abrielle Baldwin, 23, and her brother Damarcus Coley 14, suffering from gunshot wounds, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Tuesday. Both were transported to a local hospital, where Baldwin was pronounced deceased and Coley was treated and is in stable condition.

During their investigation, police discovered that siblings Baldwin, Damarcus Coley and 15-year-old Darcus Coley had gone Christmas shopping with their mother and Baldwin's two sons, ages 11 months and 6 years. The family then went to their grandmother's house and the three siblings became involved in a verbal dispute over the Christmas presents, according to law enforcement. 

"After Abrielle told Damarcus to stop arguing because it was Christmas, Damarcus told Abrielle he was going to shoot her and the 11-month-old she was holding in a baby carrier. Damarcus shot Abrielle in the chest while Abrielle was holding the child in the carrier," the sheriff's office said. The baby was not injured because he was in a carrier, Gualtieri said. 

Darcus Coley then left the house with another gun and shot his brother because he had shot their sister. 

Police arrested Damarcus Coley and charged him with first-degree murder, child abuse, and being a delinquent in possession of a firearm.

Police also arrested Darcus Coley, and he was charged with attempted first-degree murder and physical evidence tampering.

Officials said the incident is still being investigated. 

Gualteiri said minors are obtaining firearms by purchasing stolen guns cheaply on the street or through car burglaries.

"In the last thirty days, we’ve taken reports where seventeen guns have been stolen from unlocked cars," he said.  

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