A 13-year-old boy arrested along with his 14-year-old Arizona compatriot for shooting at police confessed he wanted to “murder a police officer,” according to authorities.
The two Arizona juveniles have been arrested after allegedly shooting at police officers while the officers were investigating a burglary case.
The incident occurred on the evening of Monday, June 20, according to the Glendale, Arizona, Police Department. Officers investigating a burglary call heard gunshots; several gunshots narrowly missed the officers.
“Officers used the ShotSpotter technology to pinpoint that the shots came from an apartment complex located near the 59-hundred block of West Rose Lane,” the Glendale Police Department stated. “Officers responded to the area and located a security camera which captured the incident.”
The two juveniles were spotted on the video shooting at the police officers, one of the juveniles was already known to the police. Officers executed a search warrant and apprehended the two juveniles and the firearm.
The juveniles confessed during questioning that they had fired shots; the older boy said he took the gun from his mother’s dresser, then went outside and filmed the younger boy firing at the police.
“The younger boy fired one shot and the older boy took the gun at that point firing several more rounds,” the Glendale police reported.
Then they detailed a chilling fact: “While being questioned the younger boy admitted to officers he wanted to ‘murder a police officer.’”
The boys were booked on felony counts including aggravated assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm and attempted murder.
According to Arizona law, the two boys are too young to be prosecuted as adults. The law states:
Juveniles 15 years of age or older accused of murder, forcible sexual assault, armed robbery or other violent felony offenses as defined by statute shall be prosecuted as adults. Juveniles 15 years of age or older who are chronic felony offenders as defined by statute shall be prosecuted as adults. Upon conviction all such juveniles shall be subject to the same laws as adults, except as specifically provided by statute and by article 22, section 16 of this constitution. All other juveniles accused of unlawful conduct shall be prosecuted as provided by law.