Victim's Father Speaks Out After Teen Charged In Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 16-year-old Minneapolis boy has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of another 16-year-old boy.
Malcolm Maghundi Jackson, who was charged Monday, will make his first appearance in the Hennepin County Juvenile Court Tuesday afternoon. He was charged as a juvenile for the shooting of Trequan Sykes.
According to the juvenile petition filed by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, Jackson and witnesses told police that Jackson had been in a fight with the brother of the victim.
Jackson and two other friends allegedly brought a revolver to the alley behind Sykes' home, located on the 2900 block of Bloomington Avenue South. A boy and girl in the area said that Jackson first threatened them with the gun before exchanging words with Sykes. When Sykes walked away, Jackson fired the gun at least twice, hitting Sykes in the back.
The attorney's office is seeking to have Jackson certified as an adult.
Sykes' father, Perry Singleton, wants people to know what a wonderful son he had.
"If I could just spread the word about my son, and how great he was to people, and how the community, the school, common neighbors, thought he was a good guy," Singleton said.
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Jackson told police that he brought a gun to South High School Friday and hid it nearby. When school let out, he got the gun, and confronted Sykes.
Singleton said he doesn't know what the fight was about.
"From my understanding, it was two boys having a fight, and you know it wasn't even him, it was his brother who was in the fight. So I don't know what was on the other guy's mind. And my son Trequan walked away from the guy, that's how he got shot in the back," he said.
Singleton hopes justice is served.
"The only way justice will be done, is if he is tried as an adult," he said.
Syke's mother is not doing well. Singleton said she is the glue that keeps the family together, and her son's death is taking its toll.
"All the kids in the neighborhood loved his mom. You know we even had other kids who were having problems at home, they would stay with us," he said.
During graduation ceremonies last week, Sykes was remembered with a moment of silence.
