A fistfight between two 17-year-old boys led one of the teen to kill the other one with a gun his mother gave him, police said Wednesday.

WWL-TV

A picture of Clarence Johnson, which was taken by his mother, shows the teen holding a pistol and a fist full of cash.

According to Sgt. Joe Narcisse, an NOPD spokesman, the shooting took place shortly after 7 p.m. near the intersection of Clio and Simon Bolivar streets, in Central City. The victim, a 17-year-old New Orleans boy, got into a fistfight with Clarence Johnson earlier in the evening, with both individuals walking away after the conflict.

Narcisse said Johnson went home and gave details of the fight to his mom, 44-year-old Vanessa Johnson. She gave her son a handgun and told him to get revenge because he had apparently lost the fight. Johnson took the handgun, located the victim a short time later and fired several shots, striking him once in the stomach. The victim was rushed to Elmwood Medical Center, where he later died.

Both individuals had been previously arrested as juveniles, Narcisse said. Meanwhile, Johnson's mother has an extensive rap sheet, including arrests for drugs and violent behavior.

"How does any police department make up for huge deficiencies in parenting?" Narcisse said.

Police said Vanessa Johnson was arrested early Thursday morning and booked with principal to second-degree murder. Her son remains at large. A murder weapon has not been found.