Police charge woman with involuntary manslaughter in 10-year-old's shooting death

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Atlanta Police charged the mother of two children who were inside an apartment where a 10-year-old was shot to death with involuntary manslaughter Tuesday.

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A week has passed since Atlanta Police said 10-year-old Sincere Jordan was shot in the head inside Shatora Jones’ northwest Atlanta apartment. Jones, the mother of two of the children in the apartment at the time of the shooting, will now face charges in connection with the shooting. Police said there were no adults inside, but the gun which was used was easily accessible to the children.

"The evidence does not show that he did it to himself. So we feel that at least one of those 3 children had the gun in hand when the incident occurred," said Major Adam Lee III, Major Crimes Commander of the Atlanta Police Department.

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In a press conference on Tuesday, police revealed they believe the shooter was 11 years old.

Jones was booked into the Fulton County Jail for reckless conduct, involuntarily manslaughter, and cruelty to children in the first-degree charges.

Investigators, who have been searching for the gun used in the shooting for the last week, said they received a tip that led them to the .9 mm semi-automatic pistol. Police said a man, whose name has not yet been released, could face tampering charges for removing the gun from the scene.

Last week, the mother of the 10-year-old boy said her son did not shoot himself. That was confirmed Tuesday by investigators.

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“The weapon was not on the scene when we arrived. We have information that someone stole the weapon away before the police officers were able to get there,” said Major Lee.

Family members said Sincere Jordan was an honor student and graduating 5th grader at Peyton Forest Elementary.

Three other children were at the home in the 2500 block of Etheridge Drive at the Rolling Bends apartment complex when the shooting occurred, police said Wednesday.

The victim's mother, Marquita Jordan, said her son did not shoot himself. She believes another child pulled the trigger and said she had a second son in the apartment who was frightened and left.

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"I know he didn't shoot himself. That's what I do know," she said. "I mean, children, they're curious, they play with guns, but the little boy was pointing a gun at all the children. My older little boy ran out the house."

Sincere was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to Atlanta Fire and Rescue.

"Sincere did not deserve this," She said with tears in her eyes.

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Sincere's death has been tough, not only on his family, but many members of the Atlanta Police Department because of his participation in the Police Athletic League or PAL program.

“On the day that this happened, one of our officers had gone by his apartment or his home to take home to the Peachtree Road Race, but did not get an answer at the door,” said Lee.

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