A 19-year-old was shot and killed in broad daylight in Florida after a failed gun deal outside a Dollar General, with a 14-year-old boy now facing second-degree murder charges over a year after the incident, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim, Griffin Smith, was found with gunshot wounds in his Dodge Ram pickup truck after buying a firearm from the 13-year-old suspect on December 2, 2023. The deal went wrong when the suspect demanded more money than agreed upon, leading to a deadly confrontation.
After the failed deal, the suspect fired multiple shots at the victim as he tried to drive away, leaving 14 rifle shells at the scene. Police arrived around 3:15 p.m. to find the victim wounded inside his truck.
The gun bought from the suspect was recovered from the vehicle, and Smith later died at a local hospital.
The teen suspect fled the scene but was apprehended days later in Alachua County while driving a stolen vehicle, leading to his arrest. A gun was also found in the stolen car, prompting a year-long investigation that linked the suspect to the murder through various means.
Jackson, already in custody for another offense, was charged in connection with the fatal shooting while behind bars. He is currently held at the Marion County Regional Juvenile Detention Center.
