13 yr old shot dead by his 75 yr old neighbor

[Beckys_Mom]

This is one of the saddest crime stories I have read so far..I never knew anything about this story until last night. See below..

13-Year-Old Shot Dead By His White, 75-Year-Old Next Door Neighbor

A 13-year-old Black boy was shot dead by his 75-year-old White next door neighbor, John Henry Spooner, after falsely being accused of breaking into the shooter’s home and stealing guns, WDJT-TV, CBS-58 in Milwaukee reports. Spooner has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and his bond is set at $300,000. http://newsone.com/2...white-neighbor/

_______________________________

Apparently this man was accusing the young boy of stealing from his home...Everything the boys mother said was true, I saw it for myself on the video, it was all caught on camera.. On the video, I saw the kid leave his home to do something, he didn't notice the man with the gun, then the man approaches the kid.. I soon saw this kid act frightened, hands up and he tries to get away from the gunman... But sadly as he ran he was shot, I think it was in the back, the video doesn't show the kid falling to the ground, it cuts off at the moment he was shot dead.. If it weren't all caught on camera, this case would likely be on going...The comments would likely be - "How do you know the kid wanst armed?"...Or "How do you know the kid didn't provoke the man" and so on...

I won't post that video on here, it can be disturbing...I only came across it because my hubby saw this on his face book recently...

They are using the color of the man and his victim, which is something I cannot understand, it's not something I agree with.. The family of the victim didn't bring race into it.. The media have done.. But I looked past that.. To me, the man went nuts because he believed the kid stole from his home, and so it caused the man to go too far.. I think perhaps the old man thought the police isn't going to help so he took the law into his own hands and killed a child.. The man was clearly guilty and he knows it.. I am all for people using their guns for protection, but NOT like this...What this man did was wrong, and an effing disgrace...I don't care how old he is, he knew fine well what he was doing, I doubt he seriously cared...

I pictured that as my own boy, how it would make me feel, knowing that my kid would never have the chance to grow up, shot by someone who had lived his life, it's just sad.. His mother watched it, she must have been in shock.. I would have ran out that door the sec I saw someone wave a gun in my kids face..

EDIT.. I had to highlight that I personally don't think race has anything to do with it, I saw something else.

Edited July 19, 2013 by Beckys_Mom

[Bavarian Raven]

Oh great another "race" story... Just what we need. ><

[Beckys_Mom]

Oh great another "race" story... Just what we need. ><

They push it out like that, but I saw a man going nuts over a kid he felt was stealing from him.. I don't get the race part .In fact the family of the victim didn't bring race into it either.. The media on the other hand............hmmm well we all know what the media are good at..

Is race your only concern? If that kid belonged to you or someone close to you, how would you feel? I didn't think - RACE the sec I watched the video nor when I read the story... I saw past that.. I felt sorry for the boy and his folks...

Edited July 19, 2013 by Beckys_Mom

[aztek]

actually i,ve read about it, the kid stole guns form old man's home. i wonder if his clam was true. if it was, a 13 year old brakes into someones home and steals guns, what do you expect this kid to be when he grows up. old man might have done society a favor.

Edited July 19, 2013 by aztek

[Thanato]

Biggest problem with the story '75-year-old White next door neighbor'. This is why the United States has a problem with 'race issues' because the news can't get past the colour of the skin.

He might of been a racist bigot but let's not group Caucasians with this murdering bigot.

As far as I know there is only one race of humans on this planet. Sigh.

Anyway, this is terrible and he needs to be brought to justice for murdering a child.

[Beckys_Mom]

actually i,ve read about it, the kid stole guns form old man's home.

Your full proof is where? And even is the child stole guns as you say, does that justify what the man did to an unarmed child who was leaving his home? I saw the video of it all taking place.. Do you think shooting someone unarmed, not in your home, in the back is justified?

[aztek]

http://www.dailymail...aling-guns.html.

Do you think shooting someone unarmed, not in yourhome, in the back is justified?

no, he was not a threat to his life at that point, so i agree with da, it is murder.

Edited July 19, 2013 by aztek

[Thanato]

Just read, he was found guilty because his own video surveillance showed him gunning the boy down.

[Beckys_Mom]

Just read, he was found guilty because his own video surveillance showed him gunning the boy down.

Yea, I mentioned that in the OP, I saw the actual video on you tube.. It was disturbing, I saw the kid act frightened and he tried to get away from the man pointing a gun at him, but sadly he was killed.

[Beckys_Mom]

http://www.dailymail...aling-guns.html.

Do you think shooting someone unarmed, not in yourhome, in the back is justified?

no, he was not a threat to his life at that point, so i agree with da, it is murder.

da?

[+and-then]

I read somewhere that he was 74 and had terminal lung cancer. So the citizens of his state get to provide end of life care for him - what a deal for the state. Better than allowing him to just execute people though...good God.

[aztek]

da, aka district attorney, aka prosecutor.

[Beckys_Mom]

da, aka district attorney, aka prosecutor.

Thank you...Over here we say - da which is short for dad..( We use da more so than anything, we also say - ma, for mom..Your ma and your da lol ) . So when you said - I agree with da, it's murder.. I thought you were saying, you agreed with your dad lol

[keithisco]

It is clear that this man if Guilty of 1st Degree Murder, that is not at issue.

But I have to question some of the details when I read the comments posted below the OP Linked article:

"why are all these news outlets failing to mention that the police went into the victims house, arrested one of her sons and detained the mother for over an hour?"

Is there any truth whatsoever to the robbery claims by the neighbour? Unfortunately we tend to get only a "condensed" version of the stories this side of the pond, with little or no Editorial Investigation (just copy and paste from AP, UOI, and Reuters)

[Kowalski]

It is clear that this man if Guilty of 1st Degree Murder, that is not at issue.

But I have to question some of the details when I read the comments posted below the OP Linked article:

"why are all these news outlets failing to mention that the police went into the victims house, arrested one of her sons and detained the mother for over an hour?"

Is there any truth whatsoever to the robbery claims by the neighbour? Unfortunately we tend to get only a "condensed" version of the stories this side of the pond, with little or no Editorial Investigation (just copy and paste from AP, UOI, and Reuters)

I'm wondering the same thing as well. Also, their are reports the elderly man suffered from dementia. Maybe, he confused the 13 year old with one of his older brothers? I'm not excusing, what this man did, at all, but we don't know all the facts behind this story....

[Ashotep]

I feel so sorry for that kid and his family. It would kill any mother to watch their child die like that. That old man was a idiot to shoot that kid like that. That kid was no threat to him even if he had robbed him in the past. I hope he gets his just reward for doing this.

I think he would be found guilty even without the video, he shot the kid in the back.

The media is always the first to bring race into it. Why can't they just report the facts of what happened.

[Beckys_Mom]

I feel so sorry for that kid and his family. It would kill any mother to watch their child die like that. That old man was a idiot to shoot that kid like that. That kid was no threat to him even if he had robbed him in the past. I hope he gets his just reward for doing this.

I think he would be found guilty even without the video, he shot the kid in the back.

The media is always the first to bring race into it. Why can't they just report the facts of what happened.

That's why I looked passed the race thing and focused on what happened... I feel for his mother, I can imagine her horrors watching her boy face that gun man.. Madness !!

[Beckys_Mom]

no, he was not a threat to his life at that point, so i agree with da, it is murder.

what do you expect this kid to be when he grows up. old man might have done society a favor.

So now you think the kid deserved to be murdered................. How sad is that?

[aztek]

i said if he did brake in and steal.

lets not be emotional too much, braking in and robbery at 13, where do you think he'd be at 23? would you like your kids to hang out with him???? and let not bring race into it, i would think the same if the kid was white, or any other color.

Edited July 19, 2013 by aztek

[Beckys_Mom]

i said if he did brake in and steal.

It's an IF, and we have no facts to prove he did...So, that would make it pointless to jump to conclusions based on an IF

lets not be emotional too much, braking in and robbery at 13,

Like I said last time, where is your proof? You never gave me any proof that this kid actually did steal this mans guns.. The link you gave me only said that the man "suspected" the kid did it.. You have nothing to go on, no facts other than what the old man suspected.... So, is this you now twisting the media to suit what you want?

where do you think he'd be at 23?

I don't know, but I am not going to jump to the first assumption and run with it...

would you like your kids to hang out with him????

Bit hard, as my kids live in Ireland..

and let not bring race into it,

Apart from the media, who brought race into it? Gee aztek, you seem to jump the gun ( pun not intended ) over your own assumptions.. Nothing in the media that you present, gave any clear evidence this kid stole anything... And now, here you are, jumping to your own conclusions.. And this is what you use to justify your previous comments on this kid being murdered.. That is weak in your part, very weak

Edited July 19, 2013 by Beckys_Mom

[green_dude777]

i said if he did brake in and steal.

lets not be emotional too much, braking in and robbery at 13, where do you think he'd be at 23? would you like your kids to hang out with him???? and let not bring race into it, i would think the same if the kid was white, or any other color.

Sorry Aztek, but theft isn't justified means to kill someone. I'm all about self defense and protecting the castle, but that only applies at the moment. If someone breaks into my home while I'm away, and I come home and know who did it, I don't get to find them and shoot them. Hell, theft period doesn't allow you to shoot someone. A store clerk can't just shoot someone for shoplifting... robbery yes, stealing no.

[Beckys_Mom]

Sorry Aztek, but theft isn't justified means to kill someone. I'm all about self defense and protecting the castle, but that only applies at the moment. If someone breaks into my home while I'm away, and I come home and know who did it, I don't get to find them and shoot them. Hell, theft period doesn't allow you to shoot someone. A store clerk can't just shoot someone for shoplifting... robbery yes, stealing no.

Thank you, and well said... I too am for self defence, but this case, it has nothing to do with self defence.. I have had my home broken into twice, ( years ago ) and our car stolen, but not once could I live with myself if I knew I took someones life just because I suspected someone near by as a thief.. That is sick !!

Our possessions can be replaced, but peoples lives can't...

What sickens me is people jumping the gun to assume they know how people will turn out.....

Edited July 19, 2013 by Beckys_Mom

[Beckys_Mom]

what this man did, at all, but we don't know all the facts behind this story....

The crime committed was all on video and you can see it clearly.. It wouldn't matter even if the kid was mistaken for someone else, which would be strange, as the man knew this kid well, it woul;dn't matter even if the kid did steal from him.. The fact is, none of that matters.. What truly does matter, is the man murdered that child in cold blood.. All because he suspected theft ..That is twisted and sad

If you saw that video, it may well leave you shocked.. Its disturbing and so sad.. More so, when I pictured my own boy, thinking what if I had of been that poor mother? I dread to think.. No mother should have to bury their own child..

Edited July 19, 2013 by Beckys_Mom

[Kowalski]

The crime committed was all on video and you can see it clearly.. It wouldn't matter even if the kid was mistaken for someone else, which would be strange, as the man knew this kid well, it woul;dn't matter even if the kid did steal from him.. The fact is, none of that matters.. What truly does matter, is the man murdered that child in cold blood.. All because he suspected theft ..That is twisted and sad

If you saw that video, it may well leave you shocked.. Its disturbing and so sad.. More so, when I pictured my own boy, thinking what if I had of been that poor mother? I dread to think.. No mother should have to bury their own child..

I'm just saying we don't know all the facts in this story, and no, I don't think what this man did was right at all.

Here is one link that gives some more information:

Link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/verdict-expected-thursday-in-spooner-insanity-plea-b9957092z1-215987941.html

"I wouldn't call it revenge; I would call it justice," Spooner said to audible gasps from the courtroom gallery, where Simmons' mother, Patricia Larry, sat watching with friends and religious leaders. Larrytestified Tuesday that she watched from her front porch as Spooner gunned down her son, who bled to death in her arms moments later.

"Something snapped," Spooner recalled from the stand Thursday, describing his certainty that his neighbors — Simmons and his 18-year-old brother, Theodore Larry — had burglarized his home and stolen four of his shotguns two days before he confronted his teenage neighbor.

Convicted Wednesday of first-degree intentional homicide for fatally shooting Simmons, Spooner took the witness stand Thursday afternoon to testify in his own defense in the insanity portion of his trial. Depending on a Milwaukee County jury's verdict, which is expected Friday, Spooner will face either life in prison or life in a mental institution.

Spooner testified that he was overcome with anger when he loaded his gun on the morning of May 31, 2012, and shot Simmons, who was wheeling a garbage can from the sidewalk back to his house. Confronted by Spooner, the teen told him he had not taken the guns.

"I wanted those shotguns back. They were a big part of my life," Spooner said. "If what I did was in cold blood, what do you think about these kids robbing a sick old man?"

His attorney, Franklyn Gimbel, asked: "Did you intend to kill Darius Simmons?"

"I don't know," Spooner replied. "I was going after something important, and it was mine. What more can I say?"

Also, the Simmons family was questioned extensively about the robbery before Darius was shot by Spooner according to some news accounts, and the brother was arrested, and the mother was questioned for over two hours....

I don't know....I will reserve my judgement when I know more... But I really think Spooner was fed up, and angry, and for some reason, he truly believed that Darius and his brother were the ones who stole his shotguns, and he thought the police were not handling the situation properly. Does this excuse what Spooner did? Absolutely, not. He had no right to gun down that boy, but I wouldn't judge Spooner to harshly.....

That's just my two cents, though....

[keithisco]

The crime committed was all on video and you can see it clearly.. It wouldn't matter even if the kid was mistaken for someone else, which would be strange, as the man knew this kid well, it woul;dn't matter even if the kid did steal from him.. The fact is, none of that matters.. What truly does matter, is the man murdered that child in cold blood.. All because he suspected theft ..That is twisted and sad

If you saw that video, it may well leave you shocked.. Its disturbing and so sad.. More so, when I pictured my own boy, thinking what if I had of been that poor mother? I dread to think.. No mother should have to bury their own child..

ALL you have is a video of the day the man murdered him. You have no idea whether or not his life was being made intolerable by his neighbours over a period of months or years... You have no idea what his state of mind was when he murdered the kid. No-one yet knows the details of why his brother was arrested on the same day (Possibly possession of the man's goods?).

In short, you are jumping to conclusions that this man was of sound mind, completely in control of his faculties, had absolutely no reason to lose the plot and to gun down a 13 year old.

Please, lets get some perspective on this tragedy until more facts are released.