A Gulfport teenager has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly killing another teen over a vape pen.
On Monday morning, officers with the Gulfport Police Department responded to a shooting at a home on Kenwood Drive. Upon arriving, they discovered that Elijah Lamar Eckford, 18, had opened fire on Zaelyn Braxton, 16, killing the juvenile.
GPD said Eckford and Braxton had been in a heated altercation over a $10 vape pen leading up to the shooting. Eckford fled the scene after the shooting but was caught later in the day.
Through their investigation, detectives were able to identify the vehicle Eckford was in before and after the shooting. The driver, identified as Tai’shawn Holloway, 21, was charged with accessory after the fact for providing transportation to Eckford before picking him up and fleeing the scene. Another occupant in the car, Christopher Fletcher, 21, was charged with possession of marijuana.
All three are in custody at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center. Anyone with further information regarding the incident is urged to contact the GPD at (228)868-5959 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at (877)787-5898.
