Child hit in drive-by shooting dies at Jackson hospital

Published 9:56 am Thursday, June 13, 2019

A child shot in a drive-by shooting in the Brignall neighborhood Wednesday night has died.

Deputy Coroner Ricky Alford said 7-year-old Quantavious Allen Jr. died at 9:40 p.m. at University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Brookhaven Police Chief Kenneth Collins said the child was inside his home at 2457 Grant Road when a bullet fired from an assault rifle struck him.

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“He was hit by one of the projectiles that came through the home,” he said.

The boy lived at the home with his father and sister. The Brookhaven School District said in a statement that Allen was a Mamie Martin student heading into the second grade.

“He had just got off from work and he had his two kids with him and somebody shot into his house, multiple shots with an assault rifle,” Collins said.

The child was taken by private vehicle to King’s Daughters Medical Center and was later airlifted to University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Collins said he and investigators worked through the night seeking information, but it is slow coming.

“A 7-year-old child is innocent,” he said Wednesday night. “Whatever the problems that the adults had it should not have spilled over dealing with the home and the kids.”

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Brookhaven Police Department at 601-833-2424 or CrimeStoppers at 601-823-0150. Tips leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000.