A 13-year-old who was shot while raking leaves in his front yard in Prince George’s County, Maryland, passed away on Friday.
Jayz Agnew was shot on Jameson Street in Hillcrest Heights around 5 p.m. Tuesday. When officers found the boy they said he was suffering from gunshot wounds, police said.
Police are now offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case.
He received treatment at a hospital where he was in critical condition but eventually succumbed to his injuries.
WTOP’s news partner NBC4 Washington spoke to Jayz’s mother Juanita Agnew.
“His dad was gone, he said, maybe five minutes. Then he heard the gunshots, and he ran out, and then he saw Jayz on the ground,” the teen’s mother told NBC4. “I would call him goofy, fun-loving. Very, very calm and relaxed, and never took anything seriously,” she said.
In a statement, Prince George’s State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said police are continuing to investigate the shooting and have yet to identify a shooting suspect.
“We are heartbroken to hear that on November 11, 13-year-old Jayz Agnew was pronounced clinically dead after clinging to life in the hospital since Tuesday,” Braveboy said. “This bright, young man was shot and murdered while raking leaves in his family’s front yard in Hillcrest Heights.”
The Agnew family started a GoFundMe called “Justice 4 Jayz” to help cover legal and investigation fees.
“Our son Jayz was senselessly shot in the head while raking leaves in our front yard. Our Jayz is a loving gentle child. His only squabbles are with his little sister Aaliyah over video games,” Jayz’s parents wrote on the GoFundMe page.
In Braveboy’s statement, she called for an end to the violence.
“Too many beautiful lives have been taken away from families and our communities. Those who have been senselessly killed are not simply numbers, they are sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, friends, mentors and caretakers, all who are valuable to our communities,” Braveboy said.
In addition to identifying and arresting a suspect or suspects in the case, detectives are working to determine a motive for the shooting.
“We are not staying in our residence because I’m scared. I’m scared to go back to my house, and I don’t want to have to relive that every single moment. So it’s really hard for us,” Agnew told NBC4.
Anyone with more infomation can remain anonymous and call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), or go online at pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the “P3 Tips” mobile app (search “P3 Tips” in the Apple Store or Google Pay to download the app onto your mobile device.) Please refer to case number 22-0054517.
