14 y/o high school freshman, Ernest said ---
- he & his 13 y/o cousin Martinez were "sleeping over at home of 11-year-old friend who lives nearby." Rode about 1½ miles to alley.
- they "saw a car with an inside light on parked in a fenced-in alley-facing driveway."
- they "decided to hop the [backyard] fence and look inside the car ... to rummage for pocket change."
- he "stood as lookout next to the driver’s side while Martinez and the friend looked through the car."
- “All I heard was gunshots. With the first gunshot, I was over the gate first. And a couple of more gunshots and the other boy went over the gate. Martinez was nowhere to be found. I went back and Martinez was over there laying in the alley, yelling ‘Help, help, help!”’
Homeowner/car-owner interrupted the boys, shot at them about 12:45 a.m.
Martinez died at a hospital.
Police arrested the man who shot him Sunday, then released him because prosecutors did not charge him.
"Prosecutors said Monday they are reviewing the case, though authorities released only a broad outline of the facts: a 60-year-old man shot Martinez after catching him and two other boys searching his unlocked car..."
City of St Louis, Circuit Atty's office statement said -
- the case “a terrible tragedy,” & “Missouri law regarding a homeowner’s right to protect himself and his property is complicated.”
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...cle_252388c0-9390-5b72-8a27-aab5c3249055.html Dec 1, 2015. {ETA: ~600 comments to story, w differing thoughts about boys & the shooting.}
Sad, sad, sad for all involved and their families.
- he & his 13 y/o cousin Martinez were "sleeping over at home of 11-year-old friend who lives nearby." Rode about 1½ miles to alley.
- they "saw a car with an inside light on parked in a fenced-in alley-facing driveway."
- they "decided to hop the [backyard] fence and look inside the car ... to rummage for pocket change."
- he "stood as lookout next to the driver’s side while Martinez and the friend looked through the car."
- “All I heard was gunshots. With the first gunshot, I was over the gate first. And a couple of more gunshots and the other boy went over the gate. Martinez was nowhere to be found. I went back and Martinez was over there laying in the alley, yelling ‘Help, help, help!”’
Homeowner/car-owner interrupted the boys, shot at them about 12:45 a.m.
Martinez died at a hospital.
Police arrested the man who shot him Sunday, then released him because prosecutors did not charge him.
"Prosecutors said Monday they are reviewing the case, though authorities released only a broad outline of the facts: a 60-year-old man shot Martinez after catching him and two other boys searching his unlocked car..."
City of St Louis, Circuit Atty's office statement said -
- the case “a terrible tragedy,” & “Missouri law regarding a homeowner’s right to protect himself and his property is complicated.”
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...cle_252388c0-9390-5b72-8a27-aab5c3249055.html Dec 1, 2015. {ETA: ~600 comments to story, w differing thoughts about boys & the shooting.}
Sad, sad, sad for all involved and their families.