February 8, 2024
Soldier Dolo (in mufti) is under investigation by the Military Police at the Edward Binyah Kesselly Military Barracks. He has been transferred to the Zone 8 Depot for further questioning regarding the incident.
Paynesville City – A 14-year-old boy, identified as Bryant Beah, allegedly shot his 15-year-old friend Dolo Targaye, nicknamed Baby D, using a firearm belonging to a soldier named Abraham Dolo of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), who was intoxicated.
The victim, currently undergoing treatment at the ELWA hospital in Paynesville, was shot in the shoulder.
Targaye, while at the hospital, confirmed to family members that it was his friend who shot him, not the AFL soldier.
Police at Zone 8 are investigating the incident, with Beah currently detained at the Crime Services Department (CSD) station.
The alleged owner of the firearm, Soldier Dolo, stated to police sources that he was not responsible for the shooting but admitted to being intoxicated at the time of the incident.
According to sources, Soldier Dolo is under investigation by the Military Police at the Edward Binyah Kesselly Military Barracks. He has been transferred to the Zone 8 Depot for further questioning regarding the incident.
In his statement at the Zone 8 Base, Soldier Dolo admitted to being drunk and leaving his firearm unattended while using the restroom. He claimed to have heard the gunshot from upstairs, where he and his friend were drinking.
Bryant’s mother, Cecelia Beah, contradicted the assertions of Soldier Dolo and Targaye. She stated that her son did not shoot anyone. According to her, on February 6, her son’s 14th birthday, both boys were at her entertainment center, where they were drinking. She explained that Soldier Dolo, a friend of her son’s, had visited and left his firearm rounds in her possession.
Bryant recounted to investigators that when Soldier Dolo returned, he did not see Bryant’s mother downstairs. Bryant stated that Soldier Dolo asked him for his mother, and upon finding her upstairs, she handed him the rounds. Bryant confirmed being present when Soldier Dolo loaded his firearm.
Bryant claimed that he heard the gunshot while on his phone downstairs and ran upstairs, where he found his friend injured.
Soldier Dolo admitted to receiving the rounds from Bryant’s mother but denied charging the weapon. He stated that he left the weapon on the table while using the restroom. He alleged that Bryant took the weapon and shot his friend before fleeing the scene.
Victim Targaye’s statements contradict Bryant and his mother’s accounts. Targaye claimed that he went to wish Bryant a happy birthday and to exchange music and movies. He followed Bryant upstairs to ensure the transfer of files, where Bryant allegedly pointed the gun at him and pulled the trigger.
“I don’t want to be friends with Bryant again because he wanted to kill me,” Targaye reportedly said.
