Maryland's restrictive gun control laws didn't prevent Israel Fuentes Jr. and Johnny Alejandro Turcios from allegedly possessing guns despite their felony convictions, and the state's the "universal" background checks", "assault weapon" and magazine bans, waiting periods, and numerous "gun-free zones" stop them from allegedly using those guns to blast away at rivals in a public park. 

According to authorities, the pair missed their intended targets and instead shot and killed a two-year-old boy. As WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C. reports, the shooting could have been prevented, however, if the criminal justice system in the state had done its job.

The two suspects in custody for allegedly battling over drug turf with an AK-47 rifle have recently been released from prison.

But neither one was complying with their conditions for release, according to new probation warrants obtained by WUSA9.

Suspects Israel Fuentes Jr. and Johnny Alejandro Turcios are both convicted armed robbers who have served recent prison sentences.

Warrants for violation of probation were not issued until after the two were locked up for Jeremy’s death last week, even though documents indicate authorities were aware before the shooting that the men were not complying with the conditions of their releases and did not take immediate action.

In Turcios’ case, the new warrant reveals he was released from prison in September of 2023 and immediately defaulted on paying court ordered fees for drug testing and other costs.

No immediate action was taken by state authorities responsible for supervising him.

In Fuentes case, he met with probation officials in November but since then failed to prove he’d was doing court ordered drug treatment and also defaulted on fees.

Both men have long criminal records including previous robbery and gun charges.

This is both absolutely infuriating and completely unsurprising given that Maryland lawmakers have been far more interested in cracking down on lawful gun owners than ensuring violent criminals face consequences for their actions. According to the TV station, law enforcement was already aware that both suspects had violated the terms of their probation, but did nothing to try to take them into custody until after they'd been arrested for the death of Jeremey Poou-Caceres. 

To make matters worse, it sounds like local police may have had the opportunity to arrest one or more of the suspects in Pouu-Caceres's death in the minutes before shots were fired. 

According to charging documents, a Prince George's County Police officer was conducting surveillance on a gold 2003 Ford Explorer that had been carjacked along Kanawha Street shortly before the shooting.

The officer reportedly watched the Explorer turn into a parking lot and lost sight of the carjacked vehicle. A short time later, he heard the gunfire and then saw two suspects wearing masks driving away in the Ford Explorer.

The shooting happened just after 5:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Kanawha Street. 

When the detective went to investigate the gunfire he found 2-year-old Jeremy and the boy's mother. Both had been shot. 

Using a trauma kit, the detective tried to save the 2-year-old's life until an ambulance arrived. The toddler was later pronounced dead at the hospital. His mother was taken to a D.C. hospital and is expected to survive. 

Police say at least two people got out of the carjacked car and began shooting at a group of people. The mother and son were walking in the area and got caught in the crossfire.

Authorities say that Turcios was one of four individuals inside the carjacked SUV that opened fire on their rivals, while Fuentes claims he was another one of their victims, and was robbed at gunpoint by four individuals armed with at least one rifle and a handgun. What police haven't explained is why the officer who'd spotted the carjacked SUV was "surveilling" the vehicle instead of pulling it over and questioning the occupants. Had that happened, it's likely that the men now accused of killing a two-year-old boy would have been in custody, instead of being in a position to open fire on each other. 

Gun control isn't crime control. If we want to stop violent acts then we have to prevent the perpetrators from carrying them out, and in this case it sounds like there multiple missed opportunities in the weeks, days, and even minutes before a little boy was shot and killed... allegedly by guys who should have been behind bars at the time.