Toddler Shot Dead While Out for a Walk With His Mom

The public stepped up Thursday to help Maryland police arrest two men for the shooting death of a toddler who was walking with his mother near them home.

Jeremy Poou-Caceres and his mother were hit by stray bullets at about 5:35 p.m. after two men in a carjacked SUV opened fire on another group of people, according to WTTG.

Jeremy was pronounced dead at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. The mother received non-life-threatening injuries.

Prince George’s County Assistant Police Chief Vernon Hale III said that police had arrested Israel Fuentes, Jr., 33, and Johnny Alejandro Turcios, 28.

Fuentes and Turcios were riding in a carjacked SUV with at least two other people, Hale said. The pair got out of the vehicle and started shooting. Investigators later found the vehicle and a firearm that Hale believes will “likely match” bullets from the crime scene.

Israel Fuentes, Jr. and Johnny Alejandro Turcios/Prince George’s County Police Department

Hale said the community “stepped up like no other” to help find the suspects.

“They were cooperative, helped our detectives develop information and evidence to get some arrests in this case,” Hale said. “Again, we’re not done yet. We made two arrests, but there’s two more out there … These are the cases we sleep over.”

Police are still looking for the other occupants of the stolen SUV as well as the group the suspects shot at.

Fuentes and Turcios have been charged with first degree murder and related charges, WRC reported.

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[Featured image: Jeremy Poou-Caceres/handout]