A 15-year-old girl was tragically killed on New Year’s Day after a gun allegedly was waved and pointed at passengers inside a vehicle, according to court records obtained by ABC 7 News.
The suspect, 17-year-old Jeremiah Luke Lajuan Matthews, has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Brynlee Hampton, also 15. The incident occurred around 1:10 a.m. Thursday in the 6000 block of Westwind Avenue.
Police responded to reports of a shooting and located a vehicle where Hampton was seated in the front passenger seat. She had sustained a gunshot wound and was immediately transported to Northwest Hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Investigators reported finding a single bullet hole in the rear of the front passenger seat and blood on the seat, marking the devastating scene of the fatal incident.
According to court documents, the vehicle’s juvenile driver told authorities that she, Hampton, and six other passengers were leaving a party when the shooting occurred.
Multiple passengers reported that Jeremiah Matthews had been handling a firearm inside the car, waving it around and pointing it directly at other passengers.
One passenger said the gun discharged while Jeremiah was “playing with it,” causing a sudden and fatal outcome. Initially, the driver mistook the sound of the gunshot for fireworks, but she quickly realized that Hampton had been shot.
The complaint also states that the driver attempted to call her mother for assistance, but Jeremiah allegedly tried to prevent her from doing so. At that moment, another passenger, 17-year-old Landrey Korde Matthews, intervened by taking the gun from Jeremiah and throwing it down the street.
Police later recovered a firearm in that area, which is now part of the ongoing investigation. The tragic shooting has sent shockwaves through the community and raised serious concerns about teen gun safety, supervision, and the risks associated with firearms in the hands of minors.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to the incident, examining both the events inside the vehicle and any contributing factors from the party earlier that evening.
Jeremiah Matthews now faces serious legal consequences for his alleged actions, including manslaughter charges. Meanwhile, the community mourns the loss of Brynlee Hampton, whose young life was cut short in a sudden and senseless act of violence. Family, friends, and neighbors continue to grapple with grief and the difficult reality of a life taken too soon.
This heartbreaking case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of firearms, particularly among teenagers, and the devastating impact that a single moment of recklessness can have on families and communities.
