Man Charged with Murder in Fatal Shooting of 16-Year-Old Desiree Childs in Pontiac

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

PONTIAC Man Charged with Murder in Connection with Fatal Shooting of 16-Year-Old Girl

A 32-year-old man from Pontiac, Michigan, has been charged with murder in connection with the tragic and senseless shooting of 16-year-old Desiree Childs. The incident, which occurred on the evening of October 28, has shocked the local community and left the victim’s family devastated.

Knique Lawrence has been identified as one of at least two individuals believed to be involved in the fatal shooting. Childs was walking with a friend in a Pontiac neighborhood when she was shot in the leg and chest on South Johnson Avenue near Menominee Road. Despite being rushed to the hospital, she tragically succumbed to her injuries.

Both the family of the victim and law enforcement officials have expressed their belief that the bullets were not intended for Childs. As an innocent bystander who regularly walked around the neighborhood, it appears that she was tragically caught in the crossfire.

Lawrence was apprehended on November 3 and has been charged with open murder, along with three firearms charges in connection to the shooting. However, as of Tuesday morning, he had not yet been arraigned.

While Lawrence is the only person currently facing charges in relation to Childs’ death, another individual, identified as 27-year-old Jameel Tanzil, is also believed to be involved in the crime. However, no charges have been brought against Tanzil at this time, as he is being held on an unrelated felony firearm charge.

New Details Emerge from Authorities

Additional information has emerged from a federal criminal complaint filed against Tanzil on November 3. The complaint, filed by an ATF agent, alleges that Tanzil was present at the scene of the shooting alongside an unidentified suspect, who is now believed to be Lawrence.

The complaint states that the unidentified suspect resides at a home on Johnson Avenue, where the shooting took place. Police discovered several cartridge cases in the immediate vicinity and witnesses reported seeing muzzle flashes from that area on the night of the incident.

According to witnesses, after Childs was shot, three men ran over to check on her. Two of the men entered an SUV parked at the Johnson Avenue home, believed to belong to the homeowner. It remains unclear if Tanzil and Lawrence were the individuals involved in this action, or what the third man did.

The criminal complaint also suggests that an hour prior to the shooting, Tanzil and the unidentified suspect were involved in a traffic accident and assault at the same location. Witnesses reported that Tanzil was a passenger in an SUV driven by the unidentified suspect. Both individuals left the scene before the arrival of law enforcement.

Following the shooting, authorities executed a search warrant at the Johnson Avenue residence on October 29. During the search, two guns were discovered hidden in a backpack beneath the basement stairs. Law enforcement officials conducted test fires with the firearms, and the casings found at the scene matched those from Childs’ shooting.

Tanzil’s child was present in the home at the time of the search. Additionally, there were three other minor children belonging to the homeowner. No adults were present when law enforcement arrived.

While Tanzil admitted to being present at the Johnson Avenue home on the night of the shooting, he has denied any involvement in the incident.

Further investigations have revealed that Tanzil is accused of stealing three guns from a co-worker in Auburn Hills in August. It remains unclear if any of these weapons were used in the fatal shooting of Desiree Childs.

Tanzil, who has a history of four felony convictions, was sentenced to two years of probation in December 2022. He currently faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm but has not been formally charged in connection to the shooting.

In the wake of this tragic event, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to support Childs’ grieving family. Donations can be made here.

Full Criminal Complaint

A complete copy of the criminal complaint filed against Jameel Tanzil by the ATF on November 3 can be found here.

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