On the evening of June 8, 2021, 11-year-old RaShawn Devon Wilbert, a Black male, was shot in the chest and pronounced dead at a residence on Elizabeth Circle in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Officers and fire personnel responded to a shooting call at about 7:56 p.m. and found the boy at the scene.

Investigators say RaShawn was shot by his 14-year-old cousin, Thomas Hardman. Authorities initially described the shooting as occurring while the boys were playing with a gun, though later investigation suggested the circumstances were more complex than a simple accident. Believing the shooting was not intentional, prosecutors nonetheless charged Hardman as an adult with manslaughter; bond was set at $150,000 and the Warren County Grand Jury returned an indictment. The motive has not been disclosed. The firearm reportedly belonged to a family friend who was not charged.

If anyone has information about what happened that evening or knew RaShawn or the family, please share tips with local investigators.