Florida Teen Charged With Murder in 2023 Fatal Shooting During Botched Gun Sale

A 14-year-old boy has been accused of killing a 19-year-old during a failed gun transaction outside a Dollar General in Ocala, Florida, following a year-long investigation.

• The suspect, Kydris Jackson, was 13 years old at the time of the December 2023 incident and has now been charged with second-degree murder.
• The victim, Griffin Smith, was shot multiple times after a dispute over payment during a gun sale that escalated into violence.
• Smith attempted to flee the scene in his truck but crashed into a tree line and later died from his injuries at a hospital.
• Jackson fled the scene but was arrested days later on unrelated charges involving a stolen vehicle and firearm, leading to a year-long investigation.
• Authorities used witness statements, DNA evidence, and phone records to link Jackson to the fatal shooting; he remains in juvenile detention awaiting trial.

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