A 16-year-old boy has been arrested after a 14-year-old was shot dead last week in Cincinnati’s East Price Hill neighborhood.
According to Cincinnati police and juvenile court documents, the youngster is charged with murder, felonious assault, and possessing a weapon under disability in the homicide of Rakeem Blair Jr.
According to prosecutors, the adolescent was loaded with a revolver and had open warrants when he was apprehended, prompting a move to transfer his case to adult court.
The teen, who was and continues to be in the custody of Montgomery County Children’s Services, appeared in Hamilton County Juvenile Court on Tuesday morning before Magistrate Kelly Rice.
When he was arrested, he possessed a gun and open warrants. He was also wanted for failing to appear at an Aug. 12 hearing on drug possession and criminal damage charges from July, according to juvenile court records.
His sole past Hamilton County conviction is for misdemeanor attempted breaking and entering at a Cincinnati BP gas station in May 2025.
The kid is set to appear in juvenile court before Judge Kari Bloom on September 1.
Blair was found shot in the 3700 block of Warsaw Avenue in East Price Hill one week ago, on the evening of Tuesday, August 18, according to a news release announcing his arrest.
He was brought by the Cincinnati Fire Department to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where he died from his injuries on Monday.
Blair’s relatives set up a GoFundMe site to “help lay Rakeem Blair Jr. to rest.”
Blair, according to his GoFundMe page, is “just a kid with his whole life ahead of him” with “dreams to chase” and “memories to make.”
As of Tuesday morning, more than $7,000 had been raised toward the $12,000 target.
The investigation is underway.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cincinnati Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 513-352-3542.
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