ATLANTA, GEORGIA: In a distressing incident, a mother has been accused of shooting her 17-year-old son during an argument over a video game console, according to the Atlanta Police Department. The incident occurred on Thursday, June 29, at a residence on Sparks Street Southwest in Atlanta. Officers responded to a call reporting a person shot and discovered the injured teenager upon arrival, who was immediately taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for medical treatment.
The alleged shooter, 34-year-old Jaquana Butler, who is the victim's mother, remained at the scene and was identified as the perpetrator, as stated by the police. Authorities revealed that the argument between the mother and son escalated when Butler produced a firearm and fired several shots, striking her son. The exact condition of the teenager has not been disclosed as of June 30, per Fox 5 Atlanta.
Who is Jaquana Butler?
Jaquana Butler has been arrested and is now facing charges of aggravated assault, reckless conduct, and child cruelty, as indicated in online records. However, this is not the first time she has encountered legal trouble involving child-related offenses. Having a lengthy criminal record dating back to 2010, Butler has faced various charges over the years, including reckless conduct, child abandonment, forgery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery, armed robbery, false reporting of a crime, and weapon possession.
Furthermore, Butler was charged with child abuse in 2012, and she was found guilty on multiple counts related to child cruelty and battery family violence in 2019 for an incident that took place in 2016. Court records indicate that she received a six-year probation sentence as a first offender. She was also charged with simple battery in April of this year. Butler remained in custody at the Fulton County Jail without bond, as of June 30.
Rising gun violence in the United States
The incident involving Butler and her son sheds light on the broader issue of gun violence in the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), thousands of individuals die from firearm-related injuries each year, making it a significant public health problem. In 2020 alone, there were 45,222 firearm-related deaths in the country, resulting in an average of 124 fatalities per day. The CDC also highlights that firearm injuries rank among the leading causes of death for individuals aged one to 44.
Firearm homicide rates in the country have experienced a sharp increase in recent years, starting around 2015, according to Andrew Morral, director of the National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research at the RAND Corporation. "As a result, the U.S. is experiencing firearm homicide rates we haven't seen since the early 1990s during the crack cocaine epidemic," he said, as quoted by USA Today. "At the same time, firearm suicides have been increasing for the last 15 years and are now at a level higher than we have seen in more than 50 years," Morral added.
If you or anyone you know has information related to the crime, you are urged to contact the Atlanta Police Department at 404-658-6666 or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477).
