Two teenagers from Buffalo, New York, have been handed substantial prison sentences for their roles in a tragic shooting that claimed the life of a three-year-old boy and injured his seven-year-old sister. The incident, which occurred on the evening of June 21, 2024, has left a family devastated and highlighted the devastating consequences of youth gun violence.
A Fatal Evening in Buffalo
Around 9:30 PM on that summer night, Ramone "Red" Carter was riding his tricycle outside his family home in Buffalo, accompanied by his older sister. The peaceful scene was shattered when gunfire erupted. Young Ramone was struck in the back by a bullet and tragically pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital. His sister suffered a grazing bullet wound but survived the attack.
Swift Police Response and Apprehension
Buffalo Police officers responded immediately to the shooting scene. Within minutes, they apprehended two suspects just blocks away from where the children had been playing. The suspects, identified as 14-year-old Jahaan Taylor and 16-year-old Elijah Mumford at the time of the incident, matched witness descriptions provided to authorities.
During the arrest, police discovered an illegal handgun in the possession of one of the teenagers. Investigators later determined that the young siblings were never the intended targets of the shooting. Instead, the teens had been confronting a group of young men when they opened fire, with stray bullets tragically striking the innocent children.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Following a four-day trial in October 2025, a jury deliberated for five hours before reaching their verdicts. Jahaan Taylor, now 16 years old, was found guilty on multiple serious charges including Murder in the Second Degree, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, and Assault in the Second Degree.
Taylor received the maximum sentence allowable for a juvenile offender in New York State: 15 years to life in state prison. His co-defendant, Elijah Mumford, now 17, was convicted of Manslaughter in the First Degree (a Class B violent felony) and Assault in the Second Degree. Mumford was sentenced to 15 years in state prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.
Prosecution's Statement
Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane addressed the court following the sentencing, stating: "Ramone 'Red' Carter was an innocent victim of gun violence perpetrated by two teenagers in possession of illegal firearms." He commended the surviving victim for her courageous actions on the day of the crime and for bravely testifying before the jury.
District Attorney Keane also acknowledged the responding officers who rendered immediate aid to young Ramone and those who swiftly apprehended the suspects moments after the shooting. "Their quick response was crucial to this investigation," he noted.
A Family's Grief and Loss
The sentencing brought little comfort to Ramone Carter's grieving family. His mother, Shakenya Griffin, spoke to local media about her ongoing pain following the court proceedings. "I don't have my son," Griffin said emotionally. "So even though they're going to be in jail, they're still living, and I don't have my son. And I always wanted to have a baby boy, and my baby boy is gone. He's with me, but he's not here with me at all."
Ramone's older sister, Shakria Campbell, expressed her own profound grief and feelings of guilt. "He was like a son to me, even though that was my brother, but I looked at him as if he was my son, like a baby I always wanted," Campbell revealed. She added, "For my sister to go through that and see what happened to our brother, and I just feel like I should have been there as the older sibling. So, that's what's really eating me up the most at night."
Campbell shared that what she misses most about her little brother are his distinctive dimples and his bright red hair - features that made young Ramone particularly memorable to those who knew him.
A Community Impacted
This tragic case has resonated throughout the Buffalo community, raising difficult questions about youth violence, illegal firearms, and the random nature of such shootings that claim innocent lives. The fact that the young victims were merely playing outside their family home when struck by stray bullets has particularly highlighted the vulnerability of children in communities affected by gun violence.
As the two teenagers begin their lengthy prison sentences, Ramone Carter's family continues to mourn a life cut tragically short and grapple with the permanent void left by his absence.
