HOUSTON – Charges have been filed against a mother and her boyfriend following the accidentally shooting death of their 5-year-old after further details were released, according to court documents.
Latasha Thompson, 38, and Rufus King, 37, were both charged with tampering with evidence on July 16.
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What happened
Houston police officers responded to the shooting scene, located in the 4900 block of Denmark and Lockwood, in northeast Houston, at around 12:26 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2022.
Police said the 5-year-old, identified as Mateen King, was shot by an 8-year-old inside the home. Mateen King was taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann in the Texas Medical Center, where he later died on Dec. 12.
Investigators said the 8-year-old was taken to the hospital with lacerations to the head, although it is unclear how he was injured.
Documents reveal further details
According to court documents, Thompson said Mateen King came into her bedroom and asked for her phone. She reportedly unlocked her phone and went back to sleep before being woken up by a loud noise in the front room.
Thompson noted that one of her two daughters was in her bedroom with her and the other daughter was in the kitchen. Thompson said when she heard the loud noise, she ran out to see what happened and saw Mateen King laying on the floor.
According to court records, Thompson walked over to Mateen King and said, “Get up, why you laying on the floor?”
The 8-year-old reportedly responded, “he shot himself.” She said when she looked around, she didn’t see any blood but when she picked him up, blood came out of his nose and she ran outside and the child’s father, King, took them to the hospital, records show.
At the hospital, Thompson was told the child was shot in the back of the head and confirmed that there was no way he was able to shoot himself with a .22 caliber rifle.
When investigators asked Thompson about the firearm in the residence, she told them her nephew from Louisiana had been staying there with them and when he moved out, he left the guns.
Thompson told them the rifle used in the shooting was moved from the front room to a closet and hidden under a pile of clothes by her and King, after their child was shot.
When the 8-year-old was asked about the incident by investigators, he started crying and stated that he “killed his friend.” He said that he found the gun behind the couch and pulled the trigger three times.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of King and Thompson or in this case is urged to contact the HPD Major Assaults and Family Violence Division at 713-308-8800 or speak anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.