Family of man jailed after shooting death of his 2-year-old son speaks out

A Harrison Twp. man is jailed after his 13-year-old son is accused of fatally shooting his 2-year-old son at his Wheeler Avenue home.

Jamahl Evans is being held in the Montgomery County Jail on federal weapons violations.

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The death of his younger son, Jvontae (Jay vee On tay) Johnston, is part of a recent increase in child gunshot deaths locally. But Evans’ family members dispute that his child died because he was careless.

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“He’s devastated by this. They got this man in solitary, in a suicide smock; he doesn’t want to live anymore,” said Raymond Saunders, who identified himself as Evans’ cousin.

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Saunders said Evans moved to Wheeler Avenue to better care for Jvontae and another of his sons, a 13-year-old who deputies say picked up a gun and accidentally shot his brother in the chest.

Deputies also said Evans was dealing marijuana out of the house.

Saunders disputes that claim, and said the gun was not easily accessible, that Evans was not careless.

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“It’s something that was out of his control, any parent could get busy, get tired, lay down and go to sleep and your other child, who’s consciously aware of what he’s doing, that can happen. I pray it happens to no one,” Saunders said.

The 13-year-old boy is charged with reckless homicide in Montgomery County Juvenile Court.

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