In accordance with the documents filed with the court, three members of a gang who were engaged in the shooting death of a young boy who was only five years old were sentenced to prison more than two years after the crime.
Two weeks before his sixth birthday, in March 2023, Jayceon Burton was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting in Tempe. The incident occurred just two weeks before his birthday.
Burton’s aunt expressed her sorrow by saying, “It is heartbreaking to have him robbed of that.”
Because she was concerned for the well-being of her family, Burton’s aunt spoke to 12News in an anonymous capacity. She stated that her nephew was a bright spot in their lives, and she added that Burton enjoyed participating in sports and spending time with his siblings.
“He was a young child at the time. Simply put, he desired to have fun and be content. His aunt mentioned that he was devoted to his siblings and that he loved them very much. “He was so sweet and so kindhearted,” she said.
Members of a street gang in Phoenix pulled up on a car that contained seven individuals, including Burton, while it was parked at a red light near 48th Street and Broadway Road. Burton was found inside the vehicle.
When the light turned green, they shot more than twenty rounds into the vehicle, which resulted in the death of Burton and the injury of a boy who was 17 years old and a child who was 8 years old.
Officers would later discover that the perpetrators of the shooting had fled the scene, only to return and record a video that they would later use to boast about the shooting.
“I don’t understand how somebody who has clearly taken the time to mock the death of a child could get such a short sentence,” Burton’s aunt said. “They videotaped my nephew dying and posted it and made fun of it.” Burton’s nephew had died.
All three of the perpetrators of the shooting entered guilty pleas to multiple felony offences, including murder in the second degree.
Fourteen-year-old Freddy Patterson and nineteen-year-old Charles Adams were both given a sentence of thirty years in jail. 18-year-old Alfred Gary was given a sentence of sixteen years in jail.
As a minimum, the fact that they are incarcerated constitutes some form of justice. According to Burton’s aunt, “It would be preferable if it were longer as well.”
Rachel Mitchell, the attorney for Maricopa County, issued a statement in which she said, “Those who act with no regard for human life have no place in our society.” “For the time being, my office will continue to collaborate with law enforcement in order to eradicate illegal gang activity from our streets and put an end to the terror that it causes for our community.”
In connection with Burton’s death, Demarcus Frazier, who is 32 years old, was also taken into custody. At this time, he is still awaiting trial for a number of felony charges, one of which being murder in the first degree.
It was stated by Burton’s aunt that the family is seeking justice for the murder of her nephew and that they want his light to continue to shine.
It was Burton’s aunt that made the statement, “We want him to be remembered, not them.”
