Brookhaven police are looking for a Lincoln County man authorities say killed a child in a drive-by shooting because he had a beef with the boy’s father.

Police Chief Kenneth Collins said 24-year-old John Weathersby is wanted for murder in the death of 7-year-old Quantavious Demond Allen Jr. June 12.

Weathersby, whose known address is in north Lincoln County near Wesson, is considered armed and dangerous, Collins said.

“They don’t need to approach John,” he said.

Records show Weathersby was charged with possession of a controlled substance by BPD in June 2018; with discharge of firearm in city limits and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance in 2017; and with disorderly conduct/breach of peace, resisting arrest, speeding and reckless driving in 2014.

Anyone with information about Weathersby is asked to call the Brookhaven Police Department at 601-833-2424, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 601-833-5231 or CrimeStoppers at 601-823-0150. Tips leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000.

Allen, 7, was playing video games in this grandmother’s house on Grant Road last week when he was hit by a 7.62 caliber round from an AK 47, Collins said. His father and 5-year-old sister, Quanyia, were also in the house that afternoon. No one else was injured. The grandmother, Ophelia Allen, had already left for her night shift job at King’s Daughters Medical Center.

Collins said Weathersby had a grudge against Allen Sr., who’d just gotten home from work with his job in the public works department for the city. While Collins doesn’t think Weathersby intended to kill a child, he still is accused of spraying the house with 10 rounds from an assault rifle.

“He had something against the father for some reason, a beef going on between him and the father. He chose to drive by and shoot his house up. It was an argument or something. It was something that didn’t need to happen,” Collins said.

Officers set up a precinct of sorts Friday under a tent in the Brignall neighborhood near New Jerusalem Church, where families and individuals gathered for a prayer vigil for the 7-year-old.

Police canvassed the neighborhood looking for answers.

“Based on the information we gathered Friday when we went door-to-door, we were able to develop a suspect,” Collins said. “He’s been evading us for the last couple of days. We’ve all been looking for him. He knows we’re looking for him. At this point we need to enlist the help of the public. The more people we’ve got that know how he looks the better chance we’ve got of getting him to make a mistake or us capturing him.”

Collins said he will arrest anyone who is caught hiding Weathersby.

“Anybody who’s helping him evade the law, we’re going to lock them up. I’m not going to put up with somebody aiding somebody to evade the law,” he said.

The chief is urging individuals not to retaliate against Weathersby.

“The best thing people can do to honor this kid dying is come give us a statement and let’s take care of this legally,” he said. “It’s not going to end if they keep doing this street justice stuff. It’s an ongoing thing. It never ends. You go to shoot this person and you kill somebody else. It don’t stop.

“The grandmother, the father, they don’t want anybody else to do anything on their behalf. They want to do this the right way. The father wants to dedicate his life to helping the kids. He’s got to raise his little daughter.”

Collins spent an hour talking to Quantavious Allen Sr. on Father’s Day.

“He’s trying his best to do it the right way,” he said.

Allen’s services are Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Brookhaven Elementary School auditorium with burial in Hillcrest Cemetery in Brookhaven.

Visitation is Friday from 1 until 6 p.m. at Williams Mortuary in Brookhaven.

Williams Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.