Boy, 14, charged in father’s slaying
ANDERSON, S.C. — A 14-year-old boy was charged as a juvenile Friday with murder and three counts of attempted murder after authorities say he killed his father and opened fire on students at a school playground, wounding three people.
The boy did not show any emotion as he walked into the courtroom wearing a yellow jumpsuit. He was unrestrained, not wearing handcuffs or leg shackles, as required by state law in most juvenile cases.
His lawyer, Frank Epps, noted that the teen has given a statement to law enforcement and asked that investigators not question him again without his lawyer present. The judge agreed and ordered the teen to be held in jail.
The boy’s mother sat on the front row during the brief hearing and left the courtroom sobbing. The Associated Press typically does not identify juveniles charged with crimes.
Authorities say the teen shot his father Jeffrey Osborne, 47, at their home on Wednesday before driving a pickup truck 3 miles down a country road to Townville Elementary. The teen — who is not old enough to have a driver’s license — had to make only two turns to arrive at the red brick school, where he crashed the truck, got out and started firing during recess.
Bullets struck two students, critically injuring one of them, and a first-grade teacher. The building was immediately placed on lockdown.
Authorities have not released a motive for the killing or the school shooting. They have said the boy was being homeschooled, but have not explained why.
Prosecutors haven’t given any indication about whether they will ask to try the teen as an adult. When juveniles accused of violent crimes are 14 or 15, a prosecutor has 30 days to ask a family court judge to try the teen as an adult. If denied, the prosecutor can appeal to the circuit court, which can order the transfer. Sixteen-year-olds accused of murder are automatically tried as an adult in South Carolina.
Anderson 4 Superintendent Joanne Avery said staff saved lives by implementing activeshooter training drills conducted with students at Townville Elementary, most recently last week.
Relatives of one of the wounded, 6-year-old Jacob Hall, said he remained on life support in a hospital. His family issued a statement late Thursday saying the boy sustained a major brain injury due to the amount of blood he lost.