A “foul-mouthed” argument over a video game escalated into a shooting that left a teenage boy dead and a North Texas man jailed on Sunday.
According to the Crowley Police Department, 35-year-old Deven Jones is charged with murder and tampering with evidence in the shooting death of 15-year-old Tavion Swindell.
The fatal shooting happened on August 18th at approximately 1pm in the 1200 block of Celeste Street.
Police said officers responded to the scene after receiving a report of a shooting and found Swindell suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest when they arrived.
Swindell was rushed to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, where he died from his injuries.
Authorities initially said the shooting was an isolated domestic incident, but later Sunday evening they found Jones in Fort Worth and took him into custody.
“It’s awful. It’s just heartbreaking,” said Ashley Lopez, who lives next door to the home where the shooting happened.
In an arrest affidavit obtained by NBC 5, investigators wrote that Jones and Swindell were “smack talking” while playing video games, a term that describes when two people exchange derogatory or provocative language.
A witness who spoke to police said he heard Swindell say, “I can’t wait to play the game and beat the (expletive),” after which Jones allegedly responded, “You can’t even beat my (expletive), boy.” Swindell responded, “Who can’t?” and things took a deadly turn from there.
According to the affidavit, Jones pulled a gun and shot the boy in the chest, then told witnesses to delay calling police and walked away with the gun. Investigators said that by taking the gun, Jones was trying to make it harder for authorities to find evidence connected to the shooting.
Crowley police said it was later discovered that Jones had contacted his brother from a different cellphone number and told police he had gotten rid of the phone.
Police said detectives used social media and other means to locate the suspect’s vehicle and made an arrest. Jones was arrested and booked into the Tarrant County Jail on $260,000 bail. It is unclear whether Jones has retained legal representation.
The boy’s family said they are trying to understand how an argument over a video game led to his death.
Swindell’s uncle, Raymond Andrew Jr., told NBC5 that Tavion, whose nickname was Tay Tay, played football at Southwest High School in the Fort Worth Independent School District.
“He was just a fun-loving kid, always messing around with people and laughing,” said Andrew Jr. “He really had a kind heart. It makes me kind of angry to think that he’s not even alive, he’s not even out of school yet.”
The Swindells
Community members and staff in the Fort Worth Independent School District are mourning Swindell’s death.
Principal John Engel released a statement Monday: “We are heartbroken to learn of the death of a Southwest High School student. We offer our love and condolences to their family during this time. This is an emotional time for all of us, and experiencing loss is always difficult for students and staff to understand. There is a crisis counseling support system in place on campus if your child feels they need to talk to someone. We encourage you to listen carefully to your child and look for signs that they may need additional support.”
The statement went on to offer “helpful” advice to parents and carers with children who may be affected by the deadly incident.
Answer your child’s questions in the simplest and most honest way possible. Comfort your child and listen to them. Accept your child’s emotional reactions. Let them know that a range of feelings and reactions is normal and reassure them that it’s okay to feel whatever they are. Continue with the usual routine. Be aware that your child may have difficulty continuing with everyday activities. Children who have recently suffered a bereavement may be more vulnerable. Your child will be better able to cope with their emotions if you are calm and composed. Be attentive and sensitive to your child’s emotional needs.
Anyone in the Southwest High School community who needs additional support from a crisis counselor is asked to contact the school’s main office at 817-814-8000.
The deadly shooting remains under investigation.
