On December 30, 2023, in the Foothill Farms area of Sacramento County, 10-year-old Keith ’KJ’ Frierson was fatally shot in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Greenholme Drive around 4:30 p.m. KJ had just stepped outside to ride a new bicycle he’d received for Christmas when another 10-year-old boy fired a single, fatal shot. Authorities say the shooter accessed a firearm inside his father’s vehicle after being sent to retrieve cigarettes; the gun was later tied to a 2017 reported theft.

The boy’s father, 53-year-old Arkete Davis, was legally prohibited from possessing firearms and was arrested after investigators say he tried to dispose of the weapon in a nearby trash can. Davis faces multiple charges including child endangerment, possession of a firearm by a felon, and accessory after the fact. Prosecutors initially charged the child with murder but later declined to pursue charges, stating criminal liability rests with Davis.

Family, friends, and teachers remembered KJ as a bright, caring child who loved math and liked to help others. His funeral was held January 13, 2024, where the community gathered to mourn and call for justice. If anyone knew KJ or has information about how the firearm came to be accessible that day, please share what you know.