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Police Seek Drive-by Shooter Who Killed Child

Police on Wednesday were searching for a 25-year-old Flint man suspected of opening fire during an argument over $60 and killing a 6-year-old boy sitting in the back seat of his father's car.

An arrest warrant for open murder and four counts of assault with intent to murder was issued for DaVontrae Benton, The Flint Journal reported Wednesday.

Police consider Benton armed and dangerous, and were said he might be driving a 2003 maroon Chevrolet Impala with the license plate number 9-J-X-R-2-8.

Jonaries Holden's father, Johnny Holden, identified the suspect to police, the newspaper reported.

Marchand Williams, the boy's mother, said Jonaries told her Monday that he "wanted to see his daddy.''

 The twins had been with Johnny Holden only 45 minutes in the blue collar city about 50 miles northwest of Detroit when Williams received a call saying that one of her boys had been shot.

Jonaries was hit once about 10:15 p.m. Monday. He died at a local hospital.

His brother, Quinares, and a 2-year-old in the car were not hurt.

"I thought I was a good, overprotective mother,'' Williams said Tuesday. "We hear shootings every day. But I thought violence would affect people doing the violence, not my innocent baby.''

The Associated Press left a message Wednesday seeking comment from Flint police and a voicemail on a cell phone listed to Benton.

The slaying was Flint's 55th homicide this year.

"Too many opportunities are dying,'' said 59-year-old Jannie Hicks, who lives near the location where Jonaries was shot. "It needs to stop. A bullet like that, you don't know where it's going.''

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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