Two of three young murder suspects appeared in Douglas County Court on Tuesday. A judge denied bond for Jamar Milton, 17, and Shuntayvious Primes-Willis, 15, charged in the shooting death of Jamymell Ray, 31. The third suspect, 12-year-old Jarrell Milton, was arrested Tuesday night in Minnesota.
Prosecutors said Ray and his friend Charles Fisher, 30, were meeting the kids in the Miller Park for a drug deal on Monday, June 29. The men were both hit by gunfire. Ray died from his injuries while Fisher was later treated and released from the hospital.
Tuesday evening Omaha 360 and the Empowerment Network held a prayer meeting in Miller Park to pray for peace.
WOWT 6 News has learned that Jarrell's mother, Iyanna Moss, was convicted for felony assault when Jarrell was just a toddler. According to court documents, at the time, Moss had seven minor children. While she was in prison, all of her children lived in an Omaha foster home. The children's father, Javaris Milton, lived in Minnesota.
According to Omaha Public Schools, Jarrell is currently a student in the district. He attended Miller Park Elementary before transferring last year to Benson West Elementary. WOWT 6 News has learned that Jarrell was involved in sports, playing both football and soccer.
Prosecutors believe Jarrell and his brothers may have been involved with a gang. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer told WOWT 6 News that the boys' possible gang association was concerning. He said: "It's hard to intervene as a law enforcement agency when somebody is that young. You miss an opportunity for intervention when they're that young."
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said all three suspects had weapons.
"It's incomprehensible. It's unbelievable when you think of somebody who's 12 years old, seventh grade or sixth grade, and being charged with murder for having a gun-- approaching somebody and using that firearm with two other people that also had firearms," Kleine said. "All of it's even impossible to imagine that it's even a possibility."
"Our intentions are to file on them as adults," Kleine said. "There's a question in regards to the 12-year-old under the new law, whether we can proceed in adult court, so we'll get him into custody and then make that determination."