16-Year-Old Arrested for Attempted Capital Murder and Tampering with Evidence

A 16-year-old teenager from Fayetteville, Arkansas, named Damitrius D’Ray Blackburn, was arrested last month for allegedly shooting a juvenile in the head. Blackburn is being charged as an adult for attempted capital murder and tampering with physical evidence.

According to a police report, officers responded to a shooting incident at Sugar Tree Apartments on North Leverett Avenue on August 10. Upon arrival, they found a juvenile victim with a gunshot wound to the head. The victim was immediately transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Witnesses at the scene and video surveillance footage revealed that Blackburn had shot the victim using a handgun. The following day, Blackburn was apprehended at his friend’s residence in Fayetteville. During an interview with the police, he admitted to arranging a meeting with the victim to sell them a gun. Blackburn stated that during the transaction, he shot the victim. He further confessed to disassembling the firearm and discarding it along a trail while walking to his friend’s residence.

Washington County Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Denis Dean confirmed that the victim is a juvenile but could not provide any additional information. Blackburn was arraigned on August 25 and pleaded not guilty. A status hearing has been scheduled for January 5, 2024.