Judge Releases Teen In 15-Year Old's Shooting Death

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BROWNSVILLE (CBSMiami) – A 14-year-old arrested after police say he admitted to playing with a gun before accidentally shooting and killing his 15-year-old friend, had his first appearance in court Thursday.

Dozens of family members on both sides filed into the courtroom for the teen's first hearing. The Judge had to decide whether to release the young man, who CBS4 News is choosing not to identify, on house arrest or keep him locked up. The teen's parents promised to follow all restrictions.

But the parents of the teen who was killed, Jakyri  Fleurimar appealed to the judge to keep the teen shooter behind bars.

"My son lost his life, and he didn't deserve to get killed. Even if it was an accident they shouldn't have been playing with a gun anyway," said Jakyri's father Tony Fleurimar.

In the end the judge found the teen is not a threat to the community and released him to his parents, allowing him only to go to court and school.

According to the arrest affidavit, he was at his grandparents' home with two other friends when he found the gun.

The teen told police the shooting was an accident. He admitted to shooting Fluerimar in the chest.

Jasmine Tatum, the victim's aunt, said she was shocked and sad when she heard the news.

"I almost got in a car accident because I started crying. I broke down," Tatum said.

Fleurimar was a Macarthur High School student had just transferred to Doral Academy to play football for the new school year.

An attorney for the suspect said the boys were about to head to football practice when the gun incident happened. She says the suspect and his family are devastated.

"He lost one of his best friends and he's so sad, and I think he's more concerned about his friend than he is himself at this point," attorney Kristi Kassebaum told CBS4's Natalia Zea.

In the end the judge found the teen is not a threat to the community and released him to his parents...allowed only to go to court and school.

Meanwhile this violence has forced Jakyri's family to shift from planning to send Jakyri back to school to planning his funeral.

The court hearing was so tense, when the judge set the next hearing for September 2nd, Jakari's family cried out that that would have been his 16th birthday. The hearing was reset for August 28th. That is when we will learn whether or not the state will charge this 14-year-old suspect as an adult.

The grandparents of the teen, who own the gun which was allegedly used in the fatal shooting, will not face charges as police say the gun was in a holster, in a drawer under clothing.