A Jackson, Mississippi resident has been released without charges after shooting and killing one of two masked intruders who broke into her apartment early Sunday morning. Police have identified the deceased intruder as 15-year-old Kaden Young and charged his 18-year-old accomplice, Quintavion Myles, with murder in connection with the fatal break-in.

JACKSON, MS — A terrifying early morning home invasion at the Park at Inverness apartments has left one teenager dead and another facing a lifetime in prison. Around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, February 8, 2026, two males wearing ski masks forced their way into a woman’s residence in the 5800 block of Ridgewood Road. The resident, fearing for her life, retrieved a firearm and opened fire on the intruders, striking at least one of them.

Jackson Police Department (JPD) officers arrived to find 15-year-old Kaden Young deceased at the scene. Young was reportedly a former student at Jackson Academy. His accomplice, 18-year-old Quintavion Myles, fled the apartment but was quickly apprehended by authorities. In a legal turn common in many jurisdictions, Myles has been charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling and murder, as the death of his accomplice occurred during the commission of a felony.

A Justifiable Use of Deadly Force

Following an interview at police headquarters, the resident was released without charges. JPD has officially classified the shooting as a “justifiable homicide,” acknowledging that the woman acted under a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm. Mississippi’s self-defense laws, which include robust “Castle Doctrine” protections, generally permit the use of deadly force against individuals who are in the process of unlawfully and forcibly entering an occupied dwelling.

While the resident has been cleared of wrongdoing, the case will still be bound over to a grand jury for a final review, which is a standard procedure for homicides in the state. Meanwhile, Quintavion Myles was denied bond on his murder charge and remains in city holding.

Safety Tip: A “forced entry” at 2:30 a.m. is one of the highest-threat scenarios a homeowner can face. In Mississippi, the law presumes you have a reasonable fear of death if someone is breaking into your occupied home. However, your tactical priority should always be target identification. In a high-stress, low-light environment, having a weapon-mounted light or a high-output handheld flashlight is essential to ensure you are firing at a legitimate threat and not a non-combatant. Furthermore, if you live in an apartment complex, be mindful of “over-penetration”; choose defensive ammunition, such as hollow points, designed to expand and stop within the target to minimize the risk to neighbors in adjacent units.