Almost a month after the beating death of a 16-year-old Combs High School student, a second student from the school was shot to death on Tuesday.
Jamiere Jenkins, 17, a member of the Combs High School football team, died Nov. 28 from a gunshot wound, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office reported. A suspect in the shooting has been arrested.
Jenkins and the suspect were arguing when the suspect pulled out a gun and fired one round that hit Jenkins in the neck, PCSO Sheriff Mark Lamb said in a Facebook video.
The suspect was found Wednesday and booked into the Pinal County Youth Justice Center.
“Because he is a minor, his name is not available for release at this time,” PCSO stated on Wednesday.
The shooting took place in the Cambria neighborhood of San Tan Valley.
On his X account, formerly called Twitter, long-time radio sportscaster Kevin McCabe wrote about Jenkins’ death.
"My Heart is Aching! On the eve of AzHS football championships learning @combs_football WR Jamiere Jenkins has died, the result of senseless gun violence.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Jenkins' family by LaTia McCray, who said she is the mother of the slain teen’s best friend.
She wrote on the site:
“This young man was brutally gunned down by a group of gangsters and my son had to witness this and the young man's mother was on the phone with him at the time. Just want to give her a little support from the community in her time of grieving. He was like a son to me and called me mom when he came to the house. The love we have for this young man and his family is indescribable. Keep them in prayer and his friends as they are having a hard time processing this tragedy.”
The original goal for the fund was $3,500, but McCray stated that so many people said they wanted to donate the goal was increased to $10,000. As of early Friday morning, the fund had reached $10,982.
Jenkins died on the same day that a memorial walk for fellow student Preston Lord took place.
On Oct. 28, Lord was assaulted at a house party in Queen Creek. He died of his injuries on Oct. 30.
The Queen Creek Police Department is investigating the killing, sifting through hundreds of tips and conducting interviews. QCPD Chief Randy Brice stated on Wednesday that 49 search warrants have been served.
The impact of the two murders is not only felt deeply by the Combs High School campus, but by countless students, staff and families district-wide whose lives have been touched by the senseless acts of violence, according to a press release from the J.O. Combs Unified School District in Pinal County.
“Words cannot express our sadness and shock as we learn of the tragic death of another Combs High School student. This comes at a particularly devastating time, taking place in the wake of another recent tragedy from which our community is still reeling,” it states.
“This latest news only amplifies the collective grief felt by so many in recent weeks, and there is no higher priority than supporting our students and families during this difficult time. This includes the ongoing availability of our crisis team who remain on campus and on call to provide resources and support. We have also created an online resource page for parents and family members who may seek assistance in navigating communication and support of these events with their children.
“We express gratitude to our law enforcement partners in their diligent efforts to arrest and charge those responsible for these crimes, and echo their encouragement in asking those with knowledge or information to reach out via their designated channels,” it states.
We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org.
Janet Perez News Editor | Queen Creek &
San Tan Valley
Meet Janet Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.
Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.
Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science.
Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.
Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.
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