Family's grief spills over to football field after boy accidentally shoots teammate

The dead boy's father acknowledged that D.J.'s siblings jumped their brother's shooter, Quan Barnes, before the game. But Shemika Barnes, who granted the AJC permission to use her son's name, said Maxwell Sr. and his adult brother were also involved in the scuffle.

"My other kids saw him running onto the football field and they just got angry," said the elder Maxwell, who admitted tussling with Shemika Barnes' twin sister. No criminal charges were filed at Wednesday's hearing. "He was acting like everything was fine."

Maxwell told the AJC Wednesday he couldn't believe Barnes, a teammate of D.J.'s, would be playing football only hours after shooting his son.

"When we went to the game we had no idea he'd be there," said Maxwell, who attended the game because of a planned halftime tribute to his son. It never took place because of the pre-game fight.

"We would've never gone if we had known [Quan] was going to play," he said.

Barnes said the game was played to honor D.J.'s memory. "I don't think [Quan] wanted to play at first, but he did it for his best friend," she said. "They were with each other almost every day. When you saw D.J., you saw my son."

Ware County Recreation Department director Rod Mitchell  said that, despite the previous night's tragedy, parents and players argued against delaying the game.

"At that time, no threats were evident and a moment of silence was planned before the game in honor of Maxwell," Mitchell said Monday at a Ware County Commission work session. He did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Quan Barnes will not be charged in the shooting. Ware County Sheriff Randy Royal told the Florida Times-Union the boy brought his .177-caliber pellet rifle to the sleepover, though Quan's mother contends the gun belongs to his coach, Thomas Williams. The coach could not be reached for comment.

Royal said the shooting occurred as the three teammates -- Quan, D.J. and Williams' 11-year-old son -- played Call of Duty 4, a video game in which the player looks down the barrel of a rifle.

Williams and Stacy Chavez, the 11-year-old's mother, were watching TV in the next room.

"I feel like he should have been watching them more," Quan's mother said.

Sheriff Royal told the Times-Union that Quan did not know the gun was loaded. Each of the boys handled the weapon before the fatal shot was fired at close range, puncturing D.J.'s aorta. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

"The children panicked and attempted to stop Maxwell's bleeding," Royal said. "They thought it was superficial and did not want to get in trouble with Ms. Chavez  so initially they did not reveal that Maxwell had been shot."

Finally, the 11-year-old told his mother and Williams that D.J., who suffered from asthma, was not breathing. Williams attempted CPR as Chavez, still unaware D.J. had been shot, called 911. The paramedics thought he was having an asthma attack, according to the Ware County Sheriff's Office report of the incident.

By 9 p.m. D.J. was in full cardiac arrest. He died at 9:46 p.m. at Satilla Regional Medical Center, the Times-Union reported.

"By the time he got to the hospital there was nothing he could do," D.J.'s stepmother, Latonya Rowell, told the AJC. She said D.J. died from internal bleeding caused by the pellet shot.

Maxwell Sr. said he's received "no condolences" from the coach or the parents of the 12-year-old shooter. He said he's angry no one is being held responsible for his son's death, though the investigation continues.

Ware County District Attorney Rick Currie told the Times-Union no criminal charges can be filed "because of the young age of the boy who shot him."

"Under age 13, a child cannot be charged with a crime in Georgia," Currie said. "They can only be charged with committing a delinquent act ... Juvenile court has exclusive jurisdiction."

Georgia law allows juveniles to be charged with crimes that fall under the "seven deadly sins," including murder, rape, armed robbery and voluntary manslaughter.

Barnes said her son is scared he will be attacked again by D.J.'s family. Quan's aunt, Tadra Barnes, now fears her nephew might take his own life.

"We're trying to keep his spirits up," she said. "Every time he sees the TV or newspaper, he wants to cry."

The lingering hard feelings will prevent Quan from attending his best friend's funeral Saturday.

"He better not come," said D.J.'s father.