A 15-year-old suspect is in custody in the fatal shooting of Josiah Brackens.
HARVEY, La. — Family members, classmates and teachers gathered this week to remember 13-year-old Josiah Brackens, who authorities said was shot and killed April 30 near a home on Angus Drive in Harvey.
The gathering came as the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office moved forward with a murder case against a 15-year-old boy. Deputies said the teenager was arrested May 1 and booked with second-degree murder, obstruction of justice and juvenile in possession of a firearm. His name has not been released because of his age.
Josiah’s mother, Darrineka Brackens, said her son left his grandmother’s home shortly before the shooting. Doorbell video showed him walking outside about 15 minutes before deputies responded to the scene. “Because that was supposed to be his friend, I’ve dropped my baby off to his house, met his mom, and I never thought he would have killed my baby,” Brackens said.
Deputies said the shooting happened around 2 p.m. April 30 in the 1400 block of Angus Drive. Josiah was found after deputies arrived and later was identified by relatives. Investigators have not released a motive. Brackens said she believes her son was lured outside by someone he knew, but authorities have not publicly confirmed the sequence that led to the shooting.
Family members and classmates held hands in prayer during the vigil. Shannon Newell, a teacher at Martin Behrman Charter School, said students were grieving another loss after a student died last month in a car crash. “This is really hard because we just lost another student last month in a car accident, so the kids are dealing with it,” Newell said.
The killing marked another loss for Brackens’ family. She said Josiah’s brother, Jonathan, died after a 2014 house fire on Pailet Avenue. Brackens said Josiah survived that fire and had already lived through deep family pain before his death. “That was my backbone when it came down to me needing help,” she said. “My pain is deep. I don’t have my baby anymore.”
The sheriff’s office said the case remains under investigation. The next steps will move through juvenile court because the suspect is 15. Officials had not announced a public court date or released more details about evidence in the case as of Thursday.
Author note: Last updated May 7, 2026.