What did Arkete Davis do? Charges explored as California father and son arrested over shooting death of young boy

53-year-old Arkete Davis and his son have been taken into custody in connection with the death of a young boy, Keith Jhay “KJ” Frierson, on Saturday, December 30. Police have not revealed the identity of Davis’ 10-year-old son. Davis faces several charges and has entered a not guilty plea.

Trigger warning: The article contains references to the death of a minor. Readers’ discretion is advised.

Davis’ next court appearance for his bail hearing has been scheduled for January 5, 2024. Authorities have further confirmed that this wasn’t Arkete Davis’ first interaction with law enforcement.

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10-year-old boy and his father, Arkete Davis, were taken into custody for the tragic death of another 10-year-old child

While Arkete Davis and his son had been arrested in connection to the 10-year-old victim’s death, Sacramento County prosecutors mentioned that only Davis would face the formal charges. KCRA reported that the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office issued a statement that mentioned,

“Based on the facts currently known, the sole criminal liability and responsibility for the child’s death lay exclusively with this Defendant.”

On Saturday, Davis’ son allegedly got access to a firearm from his car. Then, at 4.30 pm, authorities got reports of a shooting in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the Foothill Farms area. Upon arrival, cops discovered the victim bleeding heavily from the head and neck. According to authorities, David tried to dispose of the gun in the garbage after the shooting.

Law enforcement officials further mentioned that Davis was not legally allowed to own a gun. The gun was allegedly reported stolen in 2017. FOX News reported that the victim was rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to the injuries. Davis allegedly had been involved in several cases, including theft and drug offenses, over the past three decades in California and Texas.

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A GoFundMe page has been launched to cover Keith's funeral expenses

Arkete Davis has been charged with having a firearm that a child could easily access, leading to the death of another minor; two counts of child endangerment; having a firearm as a felon; having ammunition when prohibited from doing so; and destroying evidence.

While Davis' son was the one who allegedly shot the other boy, he wouldn't be charged, possibly because of his age. The victim's family broke silence on Wednesday, January 3, when Davis appeared in court. According to The Sacramento Bee, Brittani Frierson, Keith's mum, said,

"They broke my heart — they crushed me. It broke me."

A GoFundMe page has been launched to cover Keith's funeral expenses. It has raised over $12,000, and the aimed amount is $20,000. The fundraiser post shed light on the tragic incident and mentioned,

"The family discarded the gun, attempting to hide the tragedy. They also changed the kids clothes and had older a sibling come through a hole in a gate to assist."

Police are currently investigating the matter to unearth further details.