February 22, 2011 - A juvenile suspect has been arrested in the fatal shooting of a juvenile female at 4910 Alvin about 12:55 a.m. on Saturday (Feb. 19).

The victim, Waddieonne Griffin, 16, of Houston, suffered a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at Memorial Hermann Hospital.

The suspect, also 16, is the victim's boyfriend. He has been referred to Harris County Juvenile Probation authorities on a charge of criminally negligent homicide.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant B. Harris and Senior Police Officer M. Waters reported:

Initially, witnesses said the victim was standing outside her boyfriend's residence with some friends when a dark colored vehicle drove by. At that time, a person or persons inside the vehicle fired shots and struck the teenage girl in the back and arm. The vehicle then fled the scene.

Further investigation into the incident revealed the juvenile boyfriend had been handling a pistol that was brought to his home by a friend. The victim (Waddieonne) asked her boyfriend to give her the gun so no one would get hurt. Her intention was to put the pistol away in a safe place. As the boyfriend attempted to disengage the hammer to a non-firing position, it slipped and discharged the weapon. The bullet struck Waddieonne in the left arm, and went through into the left side of her chest. The boyfriend attempted to tend to Waddieonne until police and paramedics arrived.

The juvenile suspect has given a confession to the circumstances of the incident and was taken into custody without incident on Monday (Feb. 21).

Update: JKS/JFC 2-22-11

JFC/VHS 2-21-11

Inc #021476211