A 14-year-old boy was found dead on Saturday afternoon, according to the Pine Bluff Police Department, making it the first juvenile homicide in the city in more than a year and a half.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed Sunday morning that the boy had been shot to death.
At about 5:55 p.m., police went to 2501 S. Maple St., because of a “man down” call. When they arrived, they found an unresponsive person lying in the grass across the street from the address. The male was pronounced dead by Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Eric Belcher. Because the victim is a juvenile, police decline to release his name, but family members on Sunday confirmed the name of the 14-year-old as Floyd Cornell Allen III.
Police said they had limited details about the case as of the dissemination of a news release of a Sunday morning, and they asked for the public’s help.
“Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call the detective office tip line at 870-730-2106, the detective office at 870-730-2090, or the dispatch center 870-541-5300,” stated the news release.
FAMILY MOURNS LOSS
Family members, loved ones and friends were in mourning following the shooting death of Allen, affectionately known as “C3” to his family.
Allen’s older sister, Taylor Smith, painted a picture of her brother, saying he was a wise and kind soul gone too soon.
Allen was looking forward to starting his freshman year at Pine Bluff High School, a new chapter in his young life.
“My brother was excited about going to school,” Smith began, her voice heavy with grief. She said she had spoken with him a few weeks ago.
Smith described her brother as a bright student who had a passion for sports, particularly basketball and football, and said he is survived by eight siblings from both sides of the family.
“I’ll never forget the day I was at the playground and daddy pulled up to get me, saying you had just been born,” wrote Taylor on her Facebook page. “I jumped in that Cadillac so fast to come meet you, and from that day you were my baby … 15 years apart is crazy, and I just couldn’t believe he had started over, but he was sooo excited about you.”
Taylor said her brother was a gentle giant with a heart so big and a smile so contagious that you couldn’t help but love him. Although he was only 14, Taylor said, her brother was filled with so much wisdom despite the things he had gone through at such an early age.
The family had also recently experienced the loss of their father in 2023. “Dad passed away in 2023 due to a decline in his health. My little brother was my dad’s favorite,” Smith said, who added that her other brother was Floyd Cornell Allen II.
The family expressed immense gratitude for the outpouring of support from the community.
“Let the community know that we are very appreciative of their kind words and to continue to pray for us as this tragedy is very unexpected and unfortunate,” Smith said.
MORE THAN 18 MONTHS WITHOUT A JUVENILE HOMICIDE
The deadly shooting marks an end to a lengthy reprieve from juvenile homicides in Pine Bluff, with the most recent incident involving a 16-year-old boy 554 days ago on Jan. 12, 2024.
The city experienced a disturbing string of juvenile homicides in 2023, which led to an increased emphasis on city involvement and intervention in youth-related crimes, particularly those involving firearms. Programs like the Group Violence Intervention, alongside other social initiatives, have been lauded for their efforts in reducing homicides involving minors.
GVI recently hosted its second annual Go Orange Day in June, an event focused on raising awareness about gun violence and commemorating its victims and survivors. During this community-wide initiative, Pine Bluff celebrated 513 consecutive days without a juvenile homicide, and the adult homicide rate saw a 40% reduction.
GVI program manager Kevin Crumpton also spoke at the event and highlighted the change from 2023.
“In 2023, we had nine juvenile homicides for the month of May and June, and right now, we’re celebrating that we have not had one since Jan. 12th of 2024,” Crumpton said.
— Eplunus Colvin
10:07 a.m.: 14-year-old shot to death on Saturday; city’s lengthy reprieve from juvenile homicides ends
A 14-year-old boy was found dead on Saturday afternoon, according to the Pine Bluff Police Department, making it the first juvenile homicide in the city in more than a year and a half.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed Sunday morning that the boy had been shot to death.
At about 5:55 p.m., police went to 2501 S. Maple St., because of a “man down” call. When they arrived, they found an unresponsive person lying in the grass across the street from the address. The male was pronounced dead by Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Eric Belcher. Because the victim is a juvenile, police decline to release his name.
Police said they had limited details about the case as of the release of a Sunday morning news release, and they asked for the public’s help.
“Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call the detective office tip line at 870-730-2106, the detective office at 870-730-2090, or the dispatch center 870-541-5300,” stated the news release.
The shooting brings to an end a lengthy reprieve from juvenile homicides in Pine Bluff, with the most recent such homicide, that of a 16-year-old boy, being 554 days ago on Jan. 12, 2024.
In 2023, the city saw a string of juvenile homicides that shocked the city and put more emphasis on the need for city involvement and intervention in youth-related crimes, particularly those involving guns.
The Group Violence Intervention program, assisted by myriad other social programs, took the lead in the effort, garnering much praise over the months for its efforts in reducing homicides involving minors.
— Byron Tate
