Woman Allegedly Shot 4-Year-Old in the Face After Threatening to ‘Shoot Up’ Home Over a Breakup By Bailey Richards 26

A woman is accused of shooting a young boy in the face over a breakup.

Joanna Chalup Cortez, 29, has been charged in connection with the shooting of a 4-year-old boy on Tuesday, Jan. 6, according to the Phoenix Police Department. The incident, which occurred at a south Phoenix home, appeared to be over a dispute relating to a breakup, ABC 15 and AZ Family reported, citing court documents, as well as family and witness testimonies.

Police discovered the child — who has since been identified by his family as 4-year-old Qahsiem Sinclair — with a gunshot wound after arriving at the scene around 12:19 p.m. local time, Phoenix police said. 

A bullet passed through Qahsiem’s cheek, knocking out multiple teeth in the process, ABC 15 reported, citing family members. A witness similarly told FOX 10 that the bullet entered the left side of the 4-year-old’s face.

The boy was hospitalized with what police described in a press release as “serious injuries.”

Chalup Cortez had been in a relationship with Qahsiem’s uncle and was at the home on Jan. 6 prior to the shooting before returning later in the day, according to court records cited by ABC 15 and AZ Family.

Prior to the shooting, Qahsiem’s mother was reportedly with Chalup Cortez and a different woman, identified as an ex-girlfriend of Chalup Cortez’s current boyfriend, AZ Family reported, citing court documents. After arguing with the woman, Chalup Cortez called her boyfriend and kicked him out of her house, according to the outlet.

Shortly after, Chalup Cortez became angered by a social media livestream involving Qahsiem’s father, Meishaq Sinclair, and her boyfriend, and drove back to the south Phoenix home, AZ Family reported based on the court documents. After arriving at the residence, she started honking and demanding that someone come outside, per the outlet.

Meishaq alleged to AZ Family that he then witnessed Chalup Cortez pull out what appeared to be a rifle before shooting toward the home. 

Chalup Cortez’s boyfriend — Qahsiem’s uncle — was heading to the front door of the home when people in the residence told police that they heard a gunshot, per ABC 15. The 4-year-old was near the door because he was attempting to follow his uncle outside, according to Meishaq.

“My son, he thought when my brother was going outside, he thought it was time to go outside and grabbed his scooter,” Meishaq told AZ family.

Meishaq was upstairs when he heard the shot, he told ABC 15, and quickly came downstairs to find Qahsiem “bleeding so much it was like a movie.”

Prior to arriving back at the home, Chalup Cortez also threatened Qahsiem’s mother, allegedly stating she was going to “shoot up the house,” ABC 15 and AZ Family reported, citing court documents. After the shooting, she reportedly contacted the child’s mom again, stating that she did not know he had been near the door during the incident.

“IM GOING TO THE COPS DONT WORRY…,” one text reportedly read, according to court documents, per AZ Family. Others reportedly read, “IM ON THE WAY…,” and, “BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW HE CAME OUT.”

Chalup Cortez surrendered to law enforcement on Wednesday, Jan. 7, and now faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault and discharging a firearm at a residence, according to the Phoenix Police Department.

The investigation is still active, though detectives “do not believe that there are any additional suspects,” the department said.

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As for Qahsiem, his family members told AZ Family that he is expected to be okay. A GoFundMe created to raise funds for his medical expenses echoes this, stating that he is “stable” but “the road to full healing physically, mentally and emotionally is just beginning.”

While speaking with ABC 15, Meishaq gave an update on his son, stating that the 4-year-old was “playing with his toys right now, still in shock” and “still traumatized a little bit.”

“It’s tragic. It sucks, but I’m glad my son is still here,” Meishaq continued. If the bullet had been “inches” over, the 4-year-old “would not be here by now,” the father told ABC 15. “It’s crazy. I thought that was my son’s last breath. I thought that was it.”