Lynn teen shot dead, friend charged

LYNN – Jaleel Floyd told police he accidentally shot another Lynn teenager on Wednesday after a Christmas party, but police charged him with murder and a District Court judge ordered him held without bail Thursday.Jonathan Rentas, 19, of 129 Allen Ave., was pronounced dead at Salem Hospital at about 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to Essex District Attorney’s spokesman Steve O’Connell.Floyd and Rentas, along with two other men, were sitting in a Toyota parked outside Rentas’ house talking when the incident occurred, according to police report filed in Lynn District Court by police Lt. Thomas Reddy.Assistant District Attorney Susan Dolhun stated Rentas was sitting in the Toyota’s front passenger seat with Floyd seated behind him.”This defendant shot the victim while inside the car and fled the car. The investigation is ongoing,” Dolhun said during Floyd’s arraignment.At Dolhun’s request, Judge Stacy Fortes White ordered Floyd held without bail without prejudice after he pleaded innocent to the murder charge. He is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 10.Floyd fled the shooting scene and went to the 58 Sheridan St. home he shares with his mother before going to Boston, according to the police report.Police Sgt. James Flynn received a call from Floyd while at the Sheridan Street house and the suspect told him the shooting ” ? was an accident, they gave me the gun and it went off.”Floyd’s attorney, Russell Sobelman of Lynn, said the shooting occurred while Rentas and Floyd were handling a handgun.”My understanding is the victim was showing off a new gun. The victim was handing it back to the defendant and the gun went off,” Sobelman said following Floyd’s arraignment.But Rentas’ grandmother and a friend questioned shooting accounts characterizing Rentas’ death as accidental.”The police should investigate this really good and let us know what is happening,” Abigail Borrero said Thursday.Benjamin Severino, the 19-year-old Randolph man identified in Reddy’s report as the Toyota’s driver, told Reddy he left the Union Street party Wednesday afternoon with Rentas, Floyd and Lashon Tate, 19, of Park Street, Lynn.The four stopped at the Eblens store on State Street in Lynn to use gift cards they received at the party. Severino told Reddy they then drove into the Highlands and were parked outside Rentas’ home when the shot was fired.”Rentas stated, ?I’m hit, pull off, pull off,'” Reddy quoted Severino as stating. Reddy added in the report: “Upon further questioning, Severino stated he did not see anyone around the vehicle and he determined, in his opinion, Floyd had fired the shot.”Tate told Reddy that Floyd got out of the Toyota ” ? seconds after the shot went off.””He stated Floyd ran off,” Reddy quoted Tate as saying.A state Department of Youth Services administrator called police on Wednesday evening while they were searching for Floyd and told police a counselor who knows Floyd planned to escort the suspect to the Lynn police station, according to the police report.Floyd came to the station and told Reddy, according to the report, that the shooting ” ? was an accident.”Borrero said she spoke with Rentas on Wednesday morning and he told her about his plans to get an angel wings tattoo.”He was happy. He said he was going to his work party and then straight home,” she said.Borrero said her grandson was the father of an almost year-old daughter named Jonara.She said Rentas had been in trouble with the law, but had come out of jail and “was doing really good.”In addition to his mother, Janet, Borrero said Rentas had two brothers and a sister.Andre Wesley, a Salem resident who described himself as a friend of Rentas and Floyd, said Rentas was attending North Shore Community College and had earned a GED certificate.Wesley said Rentas had been involved in “a little gang life, but he got wiser and better.”He said he spoke three weeks ago with Rentas at the college.”I asked him how the baby was,” Wesley said.Rentas’ friend, Jesus Cruz, said Rentas