11-Year-Old Kills Teen, 16, Under Murky Circumstances

Neighbors say it was cold-blooded murder; police are calling it a home invasion
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 4, 2015 6:36 AM CDT
11-Year-Old Kills Teen, 16, Under Murky Circumstances
St. Louis police stand near the scene of a shooting, not related to yesterday's incident, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015.   (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

An 11-year-old boy fatally shot a 16-year-old in the head in North St. Louis County yesterday in what police say was a home invasion, though neighbors believe it was cold-blooded murder. According to police, the teen entered an unlocked home after two prior attempts to break in and was shot by the boy—who was home alone with his 4-year-old sister—in the front foyer around 2:30pm, per St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A male with the teen who may not have entered the home reportedly fled but is now in custody. However, what neighbors say they witnessed contradicts that narrative: One says the 11-year-old shot the teen as the two talked outside. "It was not a break-in," she says. "There wasn't a reason why it happened like it happened." A woman tells KMOV the boys were outside "arguing loud, back and forth."

An 18-year-old neighbor says the boy beckoned the 16-year-old, who appeared to be trying to sell the younger boy his phone, to the porch. She says the boy—whom she saw waving a gun in front of the house earlier in the day—then shot him. She adds the teen fell forward through the open front door. "He was never in the house." Informed of the witness accounts, an officer notes, "Obviously the investigation is extremely early" and "many, many interviews have to be conducted." What is clear: The case is "troubling to say the least and shows that too many young people have access to handguns and the results are usually tragic." KMOV reports authorities are questioning the 11-year-old. His mother says she bought the gun used in the shooting after previous break-in attempts. (More shooting stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X