Teenage brother charged as adult in Christmas Eve shooting death

By ALEX VARGAS – Lincoln Journal Star, Neb. (TNS)

Lincoln Police news conference on fatal shooting, Dec. 24

A 16-year-old has been charged as an adult with manslaughter in the fatal shooting death of his 20-year-old brother on Christmas Eve in what police said was a case of mistaken identity.

Kentrail McDaniel was charged Thursday with manslaughter and using a firearm to commit a felony.

Johnathan McCray was fatally shot multiple times Tuesday morning, according to the Lincoln Police Department.

McDaniel fired 15 rounds from a semi-automatic rifle, according to the probable cause affidavit.

At about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, officers were sent to the Bridgeport Apartments near 14th and Superior streets on reports of gunshots, Capt. Ben Miller said at a Tuesday news conference.

Police located McCray outside with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died.

Miller said police believe McDaniel shot him after the two arrived at the apartment complex at about the same time but in different vehicles.

Court records show McDaniel’s address is in the apartment complex where the shooting occurred.

McDaniel told police he was assaulted last week at a business parking lot near 21st and K streets. Investigators said they told him he feared for his life due to the attack and fired multiple rounds Tuesday at someone he believed was an unknown person, but who was later identified as his brother.

Police believe McDaniel did not intentionally kill McCray, which is why he was charged with manslaughter, defined in Nebraska as killing someone unintentionally without malice while committing an unlawful act, and not murder, which requires an intent to kill.

Judge Laurie Yardley set McDaniel’s percentage bond at $100,000, meaning he would have to pay $10,000 to be released.

He’s being held at the Lancaster County Youth Services Center.

The homicide is the eighth in Lincoln this year. It’s the first since Savion Hopkins, 24, of Lincoln, was killed in September after being shot in the chest outside a downtown Lincoln bar.

Kavion Wright, 23, and Gregory Bahati, 30, both of Omaha, were arrested in connection to the killing of Hopkins.

Lincoln’s homicide victims of 2024

Six people have died in suspected homicides in Lincoln so far in 2024. Here’s who they were.

(c)2024 Lincoln Journal Star, Neb.

Visit Lincoln Journal Star, Neb. at www.journalstar.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.