The brother of a 12-year-old boy killed in a shooting in Boston's Mattapan neighborhood over the summer has been charged with manslaughter in the death, Boston police said Wednesday.
Savian Ellis, 12, was found fatally wounded at a home on Fessenden Street on July 13, according to Boston police. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
On Wednesday, the Boston Police Fugitive Unit arrested his brother, 22-year-old Walter Hendrick of Roxbury. He was warranted on warrants for manslaughter, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a large-capacity feeding device, and witness intimidation. He is expected to be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Thursday.
This is the second time Hendrick has been arrested in connection with the case. Hours after the shooting, he was arrested on gun charges: charged with improper storage of a firearm allowing potential access for a person under 18, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.
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A judge set a $2,500 cash bail for Hendrick when he was arraigned in Dorchester District Court in July.
Investigators have not provided any details on how they believe Savian was shot. Police have said that officers were called to a second-floor apartment about 2:05 p.m. and found the boy on the kitchen floor with an apparent gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to Boston Medical Center and declared dead about 2:42 p.m. They said investigators found that Hendrick had a loaded firearm in the residence that was improperly stored.
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At the time of the incident, police said, there were two children in the apartment — the 12-year-old victim as well as an 8-year-old — and Hendrick and others who lived at the house indicated he had possessed a semi-automatic gun and ammunition.
A discharged semi-automatic shell casing was found at the scene along with a semi-automatic firearm and a black fanny pack which Hendrick told investigators he kept the gun in, according to a police report. It said Hendrick told investigators in an interview that the gun was his, and that he does not have a valid license for the firearm.
An attorney representing Hendrick previously told NBC10 Boston has said that he has never been arrested before and has a child on the way.
Friends of Savian have described him as energetic, fast and friendly. They say he should still be here.
"These kids deserve a future," said Johnae Johnson. "He deserves to be here right now, enjoying his summer. He wanted to work, have fun with her, they had plans. He should be here tonight. This doesn't make any sense to me."
"This is his family," his attorney said. "This is something that will take time for all of them to process."
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has said that, "for a child of this age being lost to gun violence is a nightmare," and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox urged residents to turn in any illegal guns they have in their home in light of the shooting.
