A 17-year-old honors student, Jada Sellers, died from gunshot wounds sustained in an attack by her ex-boyfriend, Christian Hursey, who subsequently died by suicide. The incident, which occurred on July 31, has resurfaced details of a violent family history for Hursey.
Sellers was shot shortly after midnight on July 31 in Baltimore. Surveillance footage showed her speaking with a man outside a home before she was shot as she attempted to leave. She sustained wounds to her throat and abdomen and remained in critical condition for nearly two weeks before succumbing to her injuries. Witnesses and acquaintances identified the shooter as her former boyfriend, Christian Hursey, 18.
Police identified Hursey as the prime suspect and executed a search warrant at his Baltimore County home on August 20. Upon arrival, officers heard a gunshot from the basement and found Hursey dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigators looking into Hursey's past uncovered that his father, Dominick Hursey, killed Christian Hursey's mother, Chinika, and her boyfriend, Steven Campbell, in April 2017. At the time of that incident, Christian Hursey was four years old.
Court records indicate Chinika had repeatedly sought protective orders against her husband, expressing fear for her life. One order from 2009 required Dominick Hursey to stay away from the address where his son would later die. Records detail allegations of severe domestic violence, including an incident where Dominick Hursey allegedly twisted Chinika's arm, put a hand around her neck, and threatened to kill her.
On April 3, 2017, Dominick Hursey, wearing a hockey mask, broke into Chinika's home and fatally shot her three times in the back of the head as she slept. He also shot and killed Steven Campbell 12 times. Dominick Hursey was convicted for the murders and remains incarcerated.
Experts suggest that exposure to violence can increase the risk of an individual becoming a victim or perpetrator later in life. "It's horrific that this child who lost his own mother to gun violence is now repeating the cycle himself," Adam Rosenberg, executive director of LifeBridge Health’s Center for Hope, told CBS.
Jada Sellers was preparing to begin her senior year at Milford Mill Academy. She was described as a scholar, leader, and an active member of her school community, serving as vice president of the Student Government Association. She had a passion for dance and cheer. Her teachers remembered her as a "strong individual, a beautiful individual."
Sellers's family noted that Hursey was not a stranger, having been welcomed into their home and shared meals with them. "We know of his family and some of the challenges that they faced. And so, it's a different kind of grief. It's a different kind of burden and the weight that comes with this situation," said Sellers's cousin, Heber Brown III. Sellers's family aims to use her story to raise awareness about violence against women and girls.