A 17-year-old allegedly shot his co-worker while helping her take down Christmas decorations in her apartment, Texas authorities announced Friday.
Two 17-year-old males arrived at 19-year-old Marissa Dikeman’s apartment in Crosby Harris County, Texas, Thursday night to assist her in taking down the decorations, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff department officials arrived at the scene at approximately 8:50 p.m. and found Dikeman to be unresponsive, the office reported. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) assisted police at the scene and pronounced the victim deceased.
The sheriff’s office said both the males inside the residence were taken into custody by police. Officials charged Cayman Wilson with manslaughter in Dikeman’s death, ABC 13 reported. The other boy has not currently been charged in the case. (RELATED: Montgomery County High School Sees Shooting After County Council Removed Student Resource Officers, Police Say)
“Deputies detained the two males and the homicide unit responded to the scene,” Harris County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Greg Pinkins said. “What we know right now at this point is that the female who lived at the residence was with two male co-workers taking down Christmas decorations. At some point during this process, one of the males was manipulating a weapon, the weapon discharged striking the female. At this point we are still gathering information.”
Pinkins said it appears that the firearm belonged to Dikeman’s roommates who were not present when the incident occurred. He also told reporters that it is unknown whether the weapon was accidentally or intentionally fired, as the Homicide and Crime Scene Units are currently in the preliminary stages of the investigation.
Dikeman was an award-winning member of the 4H club for raising chickens, turkeys and steer while a student at Crosby High School, ABC 13 reported. She studied educational administration at Houston Christian University and would have graduated in the class of 2023.
Her grandparents said they knew Wilson to be a “good kid” and do not want him to be charged, the outlet reported. They also said their granddaughter worked on their family’s deer processing company and was the youngest of three siblings.