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Boy Killed Girl: 11-Year-Old Tennessee Boy Killed 8-Year-Old Girl After Argument Over A Puppy

By Tara Dodrill
Published on: 04:59 PST, Oct 6, 2015

A boy killed a girl after a brief argument over holding a puppy. An unidentified 11-year-old boy from Jefferson County, Tennessee, shot and killed an 8-year-old girl with his father’s shotgun. Maykayla Dyer was shot by the boy as he sat inside his home and aimed the shotgun out a window.

The 11-year-old boy shot the girl around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday evening, WRIB reports. Maykayla Dyer, a third grader, went to the same school as her suspected killer.

Jefferson County Sheriff G.W “Bud” McCoig said the 11-year-old boy shot the girl in the chest with a 12-gauge shotgun. Maykayla Dyer was pronounced dead a short time after being hit by the shotgun shell. She was pronounced dead upon arrival at Morristown-Hamblen Hospital, the New York Daily News reports. McCoig’s deputies reportedly found the 8-year-old girl outside on the ground in front of her home.

“We lost an 8-year-old child, and our department is hurting,” Sheriff McCoig said, adding that the community will get through the horrific “by the grace of God.”

Law enforcement officers were reportedly told by neighbors that the 8-year-old girl told the 11-year-old boy that he could not play with her dog just prior to the murder.

“Wanting to see a puppy, the little girl laughed and told him no and that was it,” neighbor Chasity Arwood said.

Latasha Dyer, the victim’s mother, discussed the shooting and what may have led up to the tragedy, with the social media.

“When we first moved to White Pine, the little boy was bullying Maykayla. He was making fun of her, calling her names, just being mean to her. I had to go the principal about him and he quit for a while, and then all of a sudden yesterday he shot her. She was a precious little girl, she was a mommy’s girl, no matter how bad of a mood you were in she could always make you smile.”

“I want her back in my arms, this is not fair, hold and kiss your babies every night because you’re never promised the next day with them,” Latasha Dyer continued during an interview with WATE News. “I hope the little boy learned his lesson because he took my baby’s life and I can’t get her back.”

The accused murderer, who has not been identified because of his age, was charged with first-degree murder in juvenile court. A White Pines area judge decided not to try the 11-year-old boy as an adult but can alter that ruling at a later date and transfer the case to an adult court. The boy’s five siblings were reportedly home at the time of the Maykayla Dyer shooting. The Tennessee family is now under investigation by the Department of Children’s Services.

White Pines Elementary School Principal Bill Walker addressed the shooting of the 8-year-old girl during a Monday press conference.

“White Pine community has experienced a tragedy, with a shooting death of a student. The staff of White Pine School and Jefferson County Schools are saddened by this incident, but want to assure parents and community that counselors are on site to assist students and staff. The emotions of our staff are so great when something like this happens that we’re all trying to love on and pray for and protect all of students. We got together as a staff yesterday and had our emotional time with each other, to try to prepare for today. I don’t think that you can prepare for when you walk in and see students that are hurting.”

The 11-year-old boy is sitting in a juvenile detention center awaiting trial.

[Image via: Shutterstock.com]

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