What did Melvin McClinton Sr do? Kenner man accused of killing toddler son after oldest son's death

In Kenner, a father, grappling with the recent murder of his 18-year-old son, shot and killed his 3-year-old son on Wednesday night, February 28, as reported by WWL TV. The devastating incident unfolded around 7:15 p.m. in the 800 block of 27th Street.

The father, identified as 39-year-old Melvin McClinton Sr., was found unresponsive with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, leaving him in critical condition. Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley provided details, revealing that officers arrived to find the child already deceased, while the father lay unconscious outside with a gunshot wound. As of Thursday morning, McClinton Sr. remains "unresponsive."

Chief Conley shared that the family had reported McClinton Sr. struggling emotionally, with heightened anger issues, since the shooting death of his older son, Melvin McClinton Jr., on February 5. The tragedy unfolded amid escalating emotional and mental distress.

As reported by NOLA, Chief Conley, reacting to the incident, said:

"This was a tragedy. It was a very emotional scene, for not just the family members but the neighbors that all knew the child."

The Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office officially identified the 3-year-old victim as Carmelo McClinton.

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Toddler fatally shot amidst domestic disturbance in Kenner

In the quiet neighborhood of Susan Park in Kenner, a gunshot was heard in a single-story home on 27th Street. The victim, 3-year-old Carmelo McClinton, lost his life in a domestic disturbance involving his grieving father.

Carmelo resided at the residence, and the family had been mourning the recent loss of his older brother, 18-year-old Melvin McClinton Jr., who was fatally shot on February 5. Jarrone Crimmins, 19, was arrested in connection with the elder brother's murder.

According to Capt. Michael Cunningham, Melvin McClinton Sr. had been grappling with mental and emotional challenges since the death of his older son. Witnesses reported an escalation in erratic and aggressive behavior following the teen's funeral and repass.

On the evening of the tragic incident, Carmelo's mother went to the 27th Street residence to pick up the child. A dispute erupted between her and Melvin McClinton Sr. over his discipline of Carmelo, escalating into a physical altercation. The toddler and his mother were in a room together when McClinton Sr. shot and killed the child before turning the gun on himself outside the home.

In Kenner, a father shot and killed his 3-year-old son

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley provided insights into the disturbing events as reported by AP News, stating:

"There was a domestic disturbance over the father's disciplining of the child. We think that might have triggered him to escalate into that act of violence."

"This escalated quickly," Conley emphasized, noting that officers arrived at the scene to find Carmelo already deceased.

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Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley revealed McClinton Sr's emotional problems

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley revealed that McClinton Sr., 39, had been grappling with emotional problems since the February 5 shooting death of his older son, Melvin McClinton Jr. Conley. He stated:

"His family did indicate that his emotional issues and his anger issues were coming forward a lot more aggressive since that incident."

The loss of his beloved son reportedly sent McClinton Sr. into deep emotional turmoil, evident in a series of posts on his Instagram and Facebook pages. These posts hinted at a person in distress reaching out for help and expressing the need for change, as reported by US News.

"He was crying out," remarked McClinton Sr.'s brother, Thalmus Williams. Less than 24 hours after the tragic incident, Williams reflected on the immense burden his brother carried, stating, "The things he went through, as far as losing his son and trying to hold it together, it was too much to bear."

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley detailed that McClinton Sr. had apparently argued with Carmelo's mother over the discipline he had given to the child on the evening of the tragedy. Thalmus Williams, who was present during the argument, recounted:

"I left out the house. I didn’t want to be in it, and when I saw my sister-in-law run out the house, I heard the pop… I know I lost something."

Family members expressed that McClinton Sr. never seemed to find a way to cope with the loss of his oldest child. "He wasn’t himself," Williams emphasized. "A human can only take so much."

Several hours before the fateful shootings on Wednesday, Jarrone Crimmins, the individual arrested in connection with Melvin McClinton Jr.'s murder, appeared in Jefferson Parish Magistrate Court for a preliminary hearing in his second-degree murder case, as reported by US News.