14-Year-Old Shot And Killed After He Picked Armed Citizen As Target During Late-Night Robbery Attempt

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA — A young teen is dead after police say he tried to rob a man on the street around 2 a.m., one of over a dozen area shootings spread out over the weekend.

“According to investigators, it appears the 14-year-old was trying to rob the alleged shooter,” Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officer Samone Burris said in an email to IndyStar Monday.

The shooting suspect remained on the scene and cooperated with investigators, Burris said. Police also interviewed several witnesses.

via indystar.com

Officers found the teen laying on the street with gunshot wounds and he was taken to the hospital where he later died.

At the time of the shooting, a large group of teens was in the immediate area. It is not known if the teen was a part of that group.

Police were combing the area for evidence and also may have video surveillance that captured the incident. There is no word on what happened to the armed citizen, but it doesn’t look like he or she was injured. Police say he was lawfully carrying his firearm and that he has a permit to carry.

The teen’s grandfather spoke with reporters, saying that he had love at home but wanted the streets instead.

“It’s a painful thing to swallow when he’s only 14,” said Anthoney Hampton.

Curtis White Jr. was Anthoney Hampton’s grandson.   Earlier this month the family filed a police report after the teen ran away from home.

“This wasn’t a parent mismanaging their child.  The child wouldn’t stay home,” said Hampton.  “The criminal element, the guns and the money, that’s what he was attracted to.”

via fox59.com

White Jr. learned the hard way, unfortunately, at such a young age. Gangs and the criminal element are hard to get away from, especially the younger you are.