Law enforcement officials reported that a 24-year-old man, later identified as Sergio, has been arrested and is currently facing serious charges after the fatal shooting of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old boy, later identified as Ivan. Sergio was taken into custody and charged with murder and assault upon a child under eight, causing death. The young victim was shot in the forehead at close range, a violent act motivated by the suspect’s demand for a confession of infidelity from the boy’s mother. The DA expressed the community’s grief and determination for justice, stating, “We are sickened and heartbroken at the senseless murder of Ivan… We will sadly but steadfastly do our job to make sure this person will never harm another.”
This harrowing incident was brought to light following a distress call to the police about a shooting at their apartment complex. Ivan’s mother alerted the authorities that Sergio, her boyfriend, had shot her son in the forehead and subsequently left the scene. Authorities were able to quickly locate Sergio, and after a brief resistance, they took him into custody.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers entered the apartment and found Ivan in a bedroom with an apparent gunshot wound to the forehead. According to the investigation, the events leading up to the tragedy involved a heated discussion about the couple’s relationship, escalating to Sergio’s irrational demand for a simple “yes or no” answer from the victim’s mother. The arrest affidavit shows that Sergio continued to demand that she answer, ‘Yes or no.’ Fearing for her safety, the mother went to her son’s room, where he was asleep on his bed, and locked herself in the room with him. Sergio then broke through the locked door. He then exited the bedroom and began pacing outside. Sergio soon returned with a firearm, holding it down by his side and yelling, ‘Yes or no!’ The gun suddenly went off, and the mother looked and saw that her son had been shot in the head.”
Further information from the district attorney’s office revealed that as Sergio pointed the firearm “within a foot” to Ivan’s head, an attempt by the mother to grab the gun resulted in Sergio executing the deadly shot. A judge ordered Sergio to be held without bond.
