Family of 8-year-old girl shot and killed by an 11-year-old holds briefing on the circumstances of the shooting

All right

2023-08-10

Uh Harry Daniels civil rights lawyer here with uh and

his wife Kimberly the parents of beautiful Jani

Do

We just got finished speaking with the public county sheriff

office concerning the investigation and the updates of this matter

We've learned that the juvenile a complaint has been sent

to the Department of Justice North Carolina Juvenile Justice and

those charges were manslaughter as well as and I believe

it was two councils

They said to counsel largely and me kind of explain

to you what those steps are

The Department of Juvenile Justice

They make determination as to whether they're going to file

the petitions or whether they're going to be moving forward

In this case the county sheriff's office and investigators have

investigated this matter and they saw fit at this time

to bring those particular charges

The charges stem from an allegation of two firearms

Is that right And two firearms being stolen from a

safe of a relative

One of those weapons that he would believe was used

in the shooting

It has been confirmed that the juvenile in fact was

a shooter that ultimately took Genesis life make no mistake

about it

A lot of people ask the question why is Harry

Dangs here I'm here to see justice

Whether that justice is we're here to seek justice

Don't no real justice because we cannot go back in

time and bring back Genesis

That's the ultimate justice

What we want but we can't do that

What we can do is try to hold those accountable

not just this juvenile but hold those accountable that allow

this 11 year old juvenile to gain access to weapons

As I stated before he said the guns in a

safe he also knew the combination to the safe to

get access to it

This wasn't the first time he was in possession of

guns

It's multiple Tik Toks or youtube or Instagram whatever the

case may be showing he had been in possession of

weapons before

So where I'm from and house ranges if you have

weapons and you showing them off then somebody ain't watching

you

There's no supervision here no supervision in what happened this

you see this that's why it's important

It's very important that we pursue justice at the highest

level

We working in town with the Cumber county sheriff's office

They have given us the information they can give us

understand

This is an active and investigation and a possible prosecution

and we want to be mindful of that

We will not release the names of juvenile or any

other particular details as a result to protect the integrity

of this case

But we do know there are some things that has

been confirmed some past behaviors that we have

We will be presented to the Cum County Sheriff's Office

for them to fit all these particular things

So we can ensure that the full complaint or the

full measure of justice or any prosecution move forward if

it's any racial animus behind this matter or any malicious

intent to increase the degree of homicide to second degree

or even higher the level of homicide that we are

going to produce that information in order to get some

justice for his family

With that being said um I'm gonna let anyone come

and say something if you can

What's up Are you right They're not gonna speak at

this time

So what I'm gonna do I'm gonna open up and

please do not

You understand it's very different

They just bury their child right And any question you

have are directing towards me and I will do my

best to answer the question

Don't ask the question how they feeling

Everybody know how Harry let's talk about the charges that

have been filed talk about them specifically

And what does that mean in terms of justice This

is an 11 year old child who is not going

to go to jail but give us the parameters of

what happens from this point going forward

I'm not going to say he's not going to go

to jail and that's a good point

The Department of Justice

Juvenile Department of Justice have declined to do secure custodian

at this time which essentially put him in custody under

the Department of Juvenile Justice

For what reason we don't know the sheriff's office petitioned

for him to be taken in custody immediately upon submitting

these charges of this complaint to the Department of Juvenile

Justice

So the Department of Juvenile Justice is the reason why

at this time that this juvenile is still free on

the streets

But as it relates to the charge itself that is

the first level of charge

A lot of times when charges brought from the evidence

and information law enforcement have at that time that they

feel solid that they have enough to bring those charges

But like I said the investigation is ongoing and we

have presented information direct information to the sheriff's office where

we believe that a higher level of homicide would increase

in this time

So at this point you're clearly not satisfied that no

one else other than the juvenile is charged

Tell me what you wanted to get out of this

case

I think I think that you got to hold true

accountability accountability at all levels parental supervision as such

I mean obviously this this juvenile had access to this

safe right Either safe was open and he had access

to it or he had the combination

In my opinion that is not a secure weapon

If I toss you the keys in my car I

can't come and say you stole it later

I gave you the keys to it and I knew

you had the keys to it

But that's something that we are definitely pushing

We just saw in Asco County where two individuals was

charged by having a gun out the same day

It it may be a misdemeanor in North Carolina

But nevertheless it is a measure of justice to help

this family get past this tragedy which they would never

get over

So we are not happy with at this time that

the supervision parents or whatever the case may be that's

had control of these weapons are not been charged with

a crime and that's something we're pushing for

So at this point there's charges filed

Have you petitioned for any Let me be very clear

A complaint has been filed

The Department of Juvenile Justice had to bring the charges

They have not at this time

Ok

You say they have not filed the charge they have

not petitioned the charges

They have the sheriff office have brought a complaint for

them to bring charges

It's different when it's given to juvenile

That's North Carolina legislation

That's the reason they that's their law that they put

in place to deal with you

So where are you in this now Because no charges

have been filed yet

What do you mean in terms of litigation and moving

forward with this case That's no litigation to be very

clear

We are here to seek justice for his family and

ensure accountability that charges are brought by every measure that

we can take as lawyers

Also we're here asking questions

We're speaking with half of his family and and if

litigation takes place that's civil that has nothing to do

with criminal you know it ain't no matter dollar can

bring it just going to make this family

No let me finish

But my main thing is that we're here to ensure

that they do it and juvenile justice do it the

right way and this family is not left out of

the cold

I see f shaking his head a lot here and

he said he didn't want to say anything but can

he explain to us what justice is to him and

his family Would you mind would you mind doing that

We don't want we're not this time

Uh We have another question

So as far as and how we got it and

that kind of stuff that's something you talk about a

little

Was it that he got it Correct me one of

our investigators in here as well and it probably help

us that uh to my understanding that it was a

relative uh home that he he he took the weapons

from uh not the actual house that he lived at

But with that being said it was two guns that

were taken

I'm not going to use the words large and stolen

because I don't feel that that's necessarily the case considered

If he had a safe combination it appeared he had

the weapons for at least they say at least three

days

So and also you know we talk about social media

platforms where he's yielding a gun that appears to be

a functional firearm and he's cavalier doing it

So my question is as to at least a supervision

they should have known he had a weapon

I'm going to come back to you

Yes

Um You express the satisfaction with your experience in this

process

I'm sorry I expressed my what satisfaction what did you

want to detail that further specifically with the county office

Well well here's the thing we understand that it takes

time when you have these particular cases and from what

we got gathered from the Cum County Sheriff Office uh

is that they have presented uh a complaint four degree

of homicide here and charges

That's all we can ask for at this time

We obviously believe that it should be higher

We produce some information to them today that I'm not

going to speak about that may take consideration to increase

that level of murder but a degree of homicide in

the state maybe the second degree murder

So as it relates to the Cum County Sheriff Office

they've given us assurance that they are moving they can

continue to investigate this matter

And that's all that's all we can take at this

time to the extent that they show us something differently

then that's something we will deal with

It did take a considered long amount of time

The family family can tell you that we felt like

it should have happened sooner but nevertheless better now than

ever

So hold on one second

Yeah about the babysitter

Um Do you think that person should be held accountable

maybe for negligence or something I believe like you said

for everybody who who's involved who allowed this child to

have access to weapons um and and participate because you

understand if mama or daddy don't care then I'm going

to take the position that I can do what I

want to do as such and have guns

So we think that it's evidence clear evidence it's not

on Tik Tok as such

We're not going to name the name but the evidence

that information can be found on tiktok whatever that you

know that shows that his will to possess and have

firearms

But absolutely absolutely

If they are allow him to have access to weapons

they should be charged with a particular crime here in

the laws in North Carolina I give it back

So I'm looking at the picture of an 11 year

old with a weapon that's been found on social media

Can you confirm and I'm sure you've seen it

Is this the 11 year old that we're talking about

in this case Can we confirm that this is do

you want me to show it to you I can

bring it up and show you

I'm not going to confirm it

I'm not going to confirm it

It's other sources but I think that important that we

need to be mindful of the laws here in North

Carolina as well identified minors and juveniles

But I will tell you this I will tell you

I'm not gonna say his name but I want to

say it either

So is that a yes I'm not going to do

that either any questions

So so back to the babysitter uh the babysitter whoever

ok

Are they pushing towards charging them as well Well like

I said we've presented information and obviously at this time

there's no charges being brought of either the babysitter or

the person who the owners of the gun allowed them

or any degree of negligence that we don't have that

information as to we know that it's an allegation that

the guns were stolen

That's where the larch charge come from

But in its totality for what it is we don't

have any information to suggest that they have enough to

bring charges against the babysitter and or the person with

the guns come from but we are pushing for that

And that is absolutely that's the district attorney in the

county decision of choice

You understand that the juvenile deal with the Department of

Juvenile Justice deal with adults that's when the district attorney

office through the sheriff office get involved

This is an ongoing active investigation make no mistake about

it

And we are continue to gather information to people from

the community that can reach out to us and I

give you my phone number at the end

So people who watch you can reach out who may

have information that otherwise they wouldn't come to the sheriff's

office to bring to us

And we can facilitate with the sheriff office in your

briefing just now with the investigators

I just want to go back to the safe and

be clear here

Did they indicate how the juvenile was able to get

into the safe Did he know the combination or did

he just figure it out or without any help from

anyone Did they give you any clear understanding about how

he opened that safe I think it was some indication

I don't quote me on that

I won't say it sounds like he might have had

a combination that he might have had a combination to

the safe And is there any indication that a combination

of safety is not as secure But is there any

is there any indication that the parents or grandparents knew

that he had the combination Well that information was not

provided we don't know that answer but it is for

sure that if they would have been more diligent and

paid attention to 11 year old they knew he had

fantasies of having guns and put them all on social

media and and not have a problem showing them off

So at minimum they should have known that

And if his guns was in the house and he

like guns he may want to take an extra step

to secure those guns live in the house that apparently

according to law enforcement that he the weapons came from

a relative's home from another relative's home

So who have their relatives We don't know

I'm sure at some point we will discover the information

I know you discussed that in your prejudice is that

you were kind of frustrated with the county sheriff's Department's

kind of ability to push this case through now that

you're kind of speaking with them a little bit more

and having a little bit more of a conversation

Do you still feel that same frustration or do you

feel as though they're working together with you more to

kind of help find the solution to this Well I

think your question is that do I have a change

of opinion as to being frustrated I do not have

a change of opinion because this should not have taken

this July

How many days ago I was two weeks

I was three weeks

So yeah my frustration still stands

It's taken this long in order to submit to the

Department of Juvenile Justice

So I still share that but that's one of the

reasons why we want to come here

So we lost in translation that this doctor family ain't

going nowhere

They're not going anywhere

This community in Fayetteville support and stand by this family

They're not going anywhere

They're going to get justice for their child

And if they see injustice for their child then they

are hopefully securing that no other family had to stand

in from the sheriff's office and deal with this

And that's the that's the ultimate goal here that we

can try to ascertain

So so what are your what are your next steps

Get Information continue to get information feed information the process

as the Department of Juvenile Justice

Like you said the Department of Juvenile Justice have not

ordered a secure custody order

That is very baffling to me that even at any

age in a level of intent to shoot and kill

somebody should at least be put in custody because they

obviously have shown that they are in danger to others

in this community no matter their age their willingness

And I think it's very important that the Department of

Juvenile Justice take appropriate measures immediately

The sheriff can't lock them up

What kind of legislation doesn't allow it The only people

who can is the Department of Juvenile Justice

And we and this family asked for them to do

as such as this case

I'm going through the Department of Juvenile Justice

Do they have a timetable to respond or have they

already responded and said we're not going to do it

No they haven't responded

They have not responded this time

The sheriff office is pushing very adamant for them to

bring this petition

Is there a time period from a legal perspective I

don't know it's a time period as to whatever it

been cases presented they never bought them a death case

So we have to wait and see

But we'll keep you

I think they when they said today today and I

want to be clear you didn't meet with the sheriff

you met with investigators or did Innes Wright come and

talk to you as well

I met with the uh legal counsel the sheriff's office

and the investigator that Ronnie Mitchell

That's right

Sound like you know all them I know them all

Any other questions

Hey I'm gonna let him say something

But please do not ask any questions

Respect for this family right Say something

No

Come on

This has been a horrible nightmare

Still doesn't feel real

We it's hard to put in words how we're trying

to navigate three weeks later for something to be done

We wore orange pans on the day

We buried our daughter for gun violence awareness because as

much as we want justice for our daughter this is

something no parent should ever have to do

We thank the community and we ask for you to

continue to support and continue to reach out unto the

full hand of the law is exactly with Justice for

our genesis Jamie

Justice

All right

Thank you guys

I appreciate you

We will keep you updated through our press release

Michael

I think you have all your information as things progress

Once we know things we will let you all know

I think the sheriff also be making a statement later

so be on the lookout for that

All right

Thank you

I appreciate it

Why

in prison But

is that one Ok good

Right

How do I get what you got And I need

to give you Michael's got the card already

Oh