On December 28, 2025, in Boynton Beach, Florida (Palm Beach County), 24-year-old Trenton Robinson fatally shot 17-year-old Josiah Jones during a heated argument at a residence on Northwest Ninth Avenue. Robinson was picking up his toddler son from the child’s mother when the dispute escalated. Jones intervened to separate Robinson and the mother (Jones’s sister), leading to the two grabbing each other and falling onto a bed. Robinson then pulled a gun from his sweatshirt pocket and shot Jones in the abdomen. Jones died at Delray Medical Center.
Key Witness Accounts
Multiple family members provided consistent details in police affidavits:
- Victim’s sister (arguing with Robinson): Argument grew loud but not physical initially. Jones stepped in, grabbed Robinson in a “bear hug” as they fell on the bed. Robinson said “get off me,” pulled the gun from his pocket, and shot Jones in the stomach. No punching occurred.
- Victim’s mother: Overheard the argument, sent Jones downstairs to intervene, then heard a “pop” and saw her son fall. Daughter said, “You just shot my brother.”
- Toddler’s mother (Robinson’s counterpart in argument): Confirmed no physical fight; Jones wasn’t hurting Robinson. No reason for Robinson to draw the gun.
- Second sister: Took the toddler out during the argument, heard the shot but didn’t witness it.
Robinson was arrested on-site after saying, “I f–d up. It was an accident,” and later claimed in interviews he was removing the unholstered gun from his pocket to avoid self-injury when it discharged.
Legal Charges and Status
Robinson faces second-degree murder with a firearm, per Palm Beach County court records. He’s held without bond at Palm Beach County Jail, with a court date set for February 26, 2026.
Florida’s second-degree murder statute (Fla. Stat. § 782.04(2)) applies to intentional killings without premeditation, often involving culpable negligence or depraved indifference. Robinson’s self-defense or accident claims will likely be scrutinized—witnesses emphasize no active threat or fight justified drawing the weapon. The unholstered gun in his pocket raises questions about safe carry practices under Florida’s stand-your-ground law (Fla. Stat. § 776.012), which requires reasonable fear of imminent harm.
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