Gabrielle Carter: New Jersey Man Charged For Murder Of 8-Year-Old Girl Struck In The Head By Bullet As She Played In The Street

A New Jersey man, Tyhan Brown was arrested at his uncle’s house in Clarksville, Tennessee and charged for the death of Gabrielle Carter, an eight-year-old girl who was caught in a gang-related gunfight, ABC News is reporting.

Gabrielle “Gabby” Carter was struck in the head by a stray bullet across the street from her Camden residence on August 4. The eight-year-old girl was riding her bike at the time.

It was not confirmed if the arrested man had an attorney to represent him or if he actually pulled the trigger at the time of this report. However, U.S. Deputy Marshal Danny Shelton said the 18-year-old man was arrested without incident and is awaiting an extradition process back to New Jersey.

https://www.facebook.com/thepanewz/posts/552902814899058?match=Z2FicmllbGxlLHNob290aW5nLGNhcnRlcg%3D%3D

Brown’s girlfriend and mother have also been charged for obstructing the investigation. Investigators said the pair provided false alibis for Tyhan Brown. The girlfriend, Natasha Gerald was charged with one count third-degree of hindering the investigation and providing false information to detectives. The charge carries up to five years in prison. Brown’s, 35-year-old mother, Shakia Land’s charge carries up to 18 months in prison.

Camden police department Chief, Scott Thompson said they were still hunting for additional suspects involved in the shooting.

“This is not a moment for celebration. It’s not even a moment for pause. We are going to relentlessly continue our investigation, into bringing those folks to justice…other suspects have been hiding under a rock and it’s only a matter of time before we flip that rock over.”

https://www.facebook.com/6abcActionNews/posts/10153925009911378?match=Z2FicmllbGxlIGNhcnRlcixzaG9vdGluZw%3D%3D

The eight-year-old girl’s mother, Meresa Carter-Phillips commended the police for making the first arrest in Gabrielle’s shooting, but said her painful loss was still with her.

“Nothing is going to change the fact that my daughter is gone and I have a loss. It was like a little relief off my back, but I still feel the same way, my daughter is not here anymore.”

Meresa Carter-Phillips who was eight-months pregnant at the time her daughter was killed said she heard gunshots and ran to window, screaming for her two kids—Gabby and Ariel. She said she did not hear or see anything, until a neighbor ran towards her across the street to tell her daughter had been shot.

Caret-Phillips she tried her best to calm her child, who was slumped in the neighbor’s doorway.

https://www.facebook.com/officialkissydenise/posts/1279329265420648?match=Z2FicmllbGxlIGNhcnRlcixzaG9vdGluZyxzaG90

“I just leaned over her and was whispering in her ear like ‘mommy is here, mommy is here, I’m not going anywhere, stay with me breathe, breathe,’ because I didn’t know what else to do…I was panicking. I was so scared.”

Police had arrested and charged Tyhan Brown for the shooting of the Gabrielle Carter after a one-month manhunt. He was arrested Thursday by US Marshals and charged Friday in the first-degree murder of Carter outside her family home in the 900 block of South 8th Street of Camden, New Jersey.

Gabrielle Carter died two days later after a stray bullet hit her brain.

A reward of over $76,000 had been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the death of Gabrielle Carter. A portion of the reward money was put forward by Vahan and Danielle Gureghian, an organization supporting the school that Gabrielle, a third grader was attending before she died.

A representative of the Camden Community Charter School released a statement upon learning of Tyhan Brown’s arrest.

“While nothing will bring back Gabby, and a suspect’s capture will do little to ease her family’s grief, it sends a clear message to others who would dare endanger a child—you will be caught no matter how far you run.”

[Featured Image by Mokee81/iStock]