Jasiyah Vasquez: 12-Year-Old Shot & Killed By 13-Year-Old Brother
A family in Pennsylvania is reeling from the devastation they’ve recently endured. On March 19, just last week, it was around 8:00 a.m. when Upper Providence Police were dispatched to a home on a call regarding a shooting. According to reports, when authorities arrived at the scene, they found 12-year-old Jasiyah Vasquez lying on her living room floor. She’d suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. Responders declared the young girl dead at the scene.
An investigation would reportedly uncover what led up to the event that resulted in Jasiyah’s death. Her mother, Daisy Vasquez, reportedly asked 13-year-old Jah’sir Vasquez, Jasiyah’s brother, to go to her car outside and bring her a 9mm handgun she had in the vehicle. It is a legally registered firearm. The District Attorney’s Officer reportedly stated that they’ve gone through surveillance footage that shows Jah’sir with the gun in his right hand as he approaches their home before taking aim and pointing at his sister. The weapon discharged, and Jasiyah was killed.
The question for investigators remains: Did Jah’sir purposefully murder his sister, or was he playing around with a firearm and accidentally shot Jasiyah?
“We followed the evidence in this case, which clearly showed that the 13-year-old shot and killed his sister. Despite the child’s age, Pennsylvania law requires that we charge Jah’sir Vasquez in adult criminal court for the shooting death of his sister,” said DA Kevin R. Steele.
Jah’sir has reportedly been charged with third-degree murder and will face adult criminal court. The 13-year-old remains in Montogomery County Juvenile Detention Center after being denied bail. He is scheduled to return to court today (March 26) for a preliminary hearing.
It’s unclear if the mother would be facing any charges related to the 12-year-old’s death as this investigation is ongoing.
Please share this story about Jasiayh Vasquez to continue the conversation about the importance of gun safety. She is our sister, and her life matters.
The mother should also be charged. It was irresponsible and reckless on her part to not get off her lazy butt and go get the firearm herself. Instead she sends a child to retrieve it!