Harris County Sheriffs Office/Facebook Javon Martin charged with negligent homicide in death of Makaila Simon.
Javon Martin is a Texas teen charged with negligent homicide after police said he accidentally shot his 15-year-old girlfriend Makaila Simon while playing with a rifle, The Houston Chronicle reports.
Martin, 17, was charged with negligent homicide Sunday in the death of Simon.
Martin told police that he thought the rifle was unloaded but accidentally shot Simon once, killing her.
Simon was shot in the chest and died before first responders could get her to a hospital.
A video said to be taken from Martin’s cellphone showed the teen waving the rifle at Simon before he shot her. Simon can be heard asking Martin to stop pointing the rifle at her in the video.
Martin’s bond was set at $10,000.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Police Say Javon Martin Accidentally Shot and Killed Makaila Simon
Police say they believe Martin accidentally shot Simon. According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Martin was playing with a rifle and the firearm went off when he pointed it at Simon.
Simon was hit in the chest by one round and died before she could be rushed to the hospital.
Martin told police that he thought he had checked to make sure the rifle was unloaded.
“He admitted to playing with the rifle and then pulling the trigger,” said sheriff’s office spokesman Thomas Gilliland. “It shows that he was negligent in making sure there was no live ammunition inside the gun – which he claims that he did, but he didn’t.”
2. Video Shows Simon Ask Martin to Stop Pointing The Rifle at Her
ONLY ON 2: One of Makaila Simon’s last recordings. You can hear the 15-year-old asking Javon Martin, 17, to stop pointing the rifle at her. This was recorded minutes before Makaila was fatally shot in her chest. Martin faces a criminal negligent homicide charge. @KPRC2
A cellphone video obtained by KPRC shows Martin waving the rifle just moments before he shot and killed Simon.
Simon is heard giggling in the background and can be heard asking Martin to stop pointing the rifle at her.
These are are the type of guns the teens were allegedly playing with before the deadly shooting that took Makaila Simon’s life. I watched several videos, in which teens can been seen dancing, laughing, posing & pointing the guns toward the camera. I’ll have more on @KPRC2 later
Police say the couple was alone in his room at the time but there were other people in the house.
The shooting occurred at around 1:30 am.
“They were inside a bedroom. There were other people home at the time, and our condolences go out to the family,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.
3. Martin and Simon Dated for a Year Before The Shooting
Martin and Simon began dating around a year before the shooting, The Houston Chronicle reported.
According to the report, Martin got mostly A’s in school and had already earned 22 college credits.
He planned to enroll at Prairie View A&M next year.
“He plans to fight the case and continue working toward graduation and college but is very upset and saddened by everything,” his attorney, Maverick Ray, told The Chronicle.
Ray said that the couple had been getting along well. The sheriff’s office confirmed that they do not believe there were any arguments that preceded the shooting.
4. Martin Was Out on Bond on Previous Charge Before the Shooting
Martin was out on $1,000 bond at the time of the shooting after he was charged with felony unauthorized use of a vehicle.
Martin was charged with using another person’s car “without effective consent.”
Ray said that Martin, whose trial in that case is scheduled for June, expects to have the charges dismissed.
Ray said that Martin was in the car with an older friend. He was not the driver and did not know the car had been stolen.
5. Simon Was Killed Just Days After Her 15th Birthday
This is Makaila Simon, 15, the Lamar High School student who @HCSOTexas say was shot and killed this morning by her boyfriend Javon Martin in Spring. Makaila’s mom says the two had been arguing over cheating allegations. Makaila just celebrated her bday yesterday. @KPRC2
The shooting occurred just three days after Simon celebrated her 15th birthday at the Cheesecake Factory, KPRC reported.
“Makaila Simon was born on 1/24/04 she was pretty with chunky cheeks with pretty brown eyes,” her mother, Alicia Simon, wrote on her Facebook page. “She is my ride or die chick. She is growing up to be beautiful young lady and I’m so blessed to her in my life forever. Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!!!”
Just days later, Alicia Simon wrote, “God give me strength to bear this pain.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for the family and funeral expenses.
Simon was a ninth-grader at Lamar High School.
The Houston Independent School District released the following statement:
“The Houston Independent School District is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of one of our students. Cases like this are always extremely difficult to bear and we will have grief counselors on campus tomorrow to assist students and staff. We offer our deepest condolences to the family and to all who loved and cared for our student.”
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