JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The State Attorney's Office (SAO) released new information on Friday regarding the death investigation of 7-year-old Tashawn Gallon, who was shot and killed back in February 2018.
SAO said Gallon was mistakenly shot in the back of the head by his uncle, Henry Smith Jr, who fired in self-defense during a shootout.
The incident happened at at home on 1347 Mt. Herman St. while the child was with relatives and their friend on the porch. While the group was outside, an SUV pulled up and shots rang out from the vehicle. Smith Jr. and two other men fired back, accidentally striking Gallon.
During the course of the investigation into the child's death, investigators found the home had been shot at multiple times in the past.
Three murders happened before Gallon was killed, according to the SAO report. All three murders were connected to an ongoing dispute between the boy's family and another individual. The murders remain unsolved, the report said.
Investigators still do not know exactly who was in the SUV when shots were fired. One person of interest, told to police by Gallon family members, later died in a separate incident.
In the report, the state attorney's office said there is insufficient evidence to prosecute the unknown suspects who prompted the deadly shooting.
The full report from the State Attorney's Office can be viewed below.
