An update has been provided in connection to the case of a Gulfport teenager 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 vehicle was occupied by Tai’shawn Holloway, 21, who was the driver, and Christopher Fletcher, 21.
Investigators discovered that Fletcher provided the firearm to the shooter. Holloway and Fletcher then waited for Eckford to shoot the teen and picked him up after the incident took place. Both Holloway and Fletcher are charged with accessory after the fact for their role in Braxton’s death.
All three suspects 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.
