Police identify teen killed in shooting at Phoenix motel that led to mother’s arrest
Police have released the identity of the teen whose mother allegedly shot and killed him accidentally at a Phoenix motel Sunday night.
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PHOENIX — Police have released the identity of the teen whose mother allegedly shot and killed him accidentally at a Phoenix motel Sunday night.
The boy has been identified as 14-year-old Jeremiah Ricci, according to Phoenix Police Department.
Ricci’s mother Jewell Griffen, 40, was booked on multiple charges in relation to the incident including child abuse.
Details on Phoenix motel shooting
Officers responded to a motel near 27th Avenue and Union Hills Drive around 10:45 p.m. regarding reports of a shooting.
When police arrived, they allegedly found a teenage male who was unresponsive and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
The Phoenix Fire Department arrived on scene and pronounced the teen dead.
Police proceeded to detain multiple people inside the motel room and learned the Griffen had left not long after their arrival.
She was taken into custody when she returned to the motel later that night, police said.
According to Phoenix police, while speaking to witnesses, detectives learned that Griffen allowed the victim and his teenage brother to “handle the firearm” while in the motel room. While doing so, the gun discharged and struck one of the teen boys.
Police noted that additional charges could be added when the investigation is complete.
No other information was provided.
This is an updated version of a story originally published in August 11, 2025.
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Comments
3 Comments
Always grateful that we can count on the sites biggest racist to spread racial hate.
Racism is racism no matter who you direct it at.
This headline is extremely misleading saying that the mother shot the son. The hotel manager was associating with the family and was the one who brought the gun. They let the boy play with it while the mom was cooking and one brother accidentally shot his older brother. I'm not absolving the mom of any guilt, she had to have known what was happening being mere feet away, but this headline is another insult to a family that was living a rough life and will be forever changed. Imagine having accidentally shot your brother because some motel manager thought they were being cool handing a barely teenager a loaded handgun. The hotel should be sued and a trust set up for the two surviving boys.
Apparently in the Griffen family safe firearm handling can't be taught, instead it must be learned by the death of a sibling.
Completely preventable.