Woman Allegedly Shot 4-Year-Old in the Face After Threatening to ‘Shoot Up’ Home 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 happened at a home in south Phoenix and appears to have stemmed from a dispute related to a breakup, ABC 15 and AZ Family reported, citing court documents along with family and witness accounts.

Officers arrived at the home around 12:19 p.m. local time and found the child — later identified by his family as 4-year-old Qahsiem Sinclair — suffering from a gunshot wound, Phoenix police said.

A bullet went through Qahsiem’s cheek and knocked out several teeth, ABC 15 reported, citing relatives. A witness also told FOX 10 that the bullet struck the left side of the boy’s face.

The child was taken to the hospital with what police described in a press release as “serious injuries.”

Court records cited by ABC 15 and AZ Family say Chalup Cortez had been in a relationship with Qahsiem’s uncle and was at the home earlier on Jan. 6 before returning later that day.

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

Not long after, Chalup Cortez reportedly became upset about a social media livestream involving Qahsiem’s father, Meishaq Sinclair, and her boyfriend, then drove back to the south Phoenix home, AZ Family reported, also citing court documents. Once there, she allegedly began honking and demanding that someone come outside.

Meishaq alleged to AZ Family that he saw Chalup Cortez pull out what looked like a rifle and fire toward the home.

According to ABC 15, Chalup Cortez’s boyfriend — Qahsiem’s uncle — was heading to the front door when people inside told police they heard a gunshot. Meishaq said the boy had been near the door because he was trying to follow his uncle outside.

“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 told ABC 15 he was upstairs when he heard the shot and rushed down to find Qahsiem “bleeding so much it was like a movie.”

ABC 15 and AZ Family also reported, citing court documents, that Chalup Cortez had threatened Qahsiem’s mother before returning to the home, allegedly saying she was going to “shoot up the house.” After the shooting, she reportedly contacted the child’s mother again and said she didn’t know the boy was near the door.

“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, Phoenix police said. She faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault and discharging a firearm at a residence. Police said the investigation remains active, but detectives “do not believe that there are any additional suspects.”

Qahsiem’s family told AZ Family that he is expected to recover. A GoFundMe created to help cover medical costs also said he is “stable,” while noting that “the road to full healing physically, mentally and emotionally is just beginning.”

In an interview with ABC 15, Meishaq said his son 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,” he added. Meishaq told ABC 15 that if the bullet had been “inches” over, the 4-year-old “would not be here by now.” “It’s crazy. I thought that was my son’s last breath. I thought that was it.”