NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Police in New Castle arrested a 13-year-old on a murder charge, in connection with a man's shooting death Tuesday night.
And at this point, investigators believe this was a random attack: a man walking down the street, a group of kids walking as well and a 13-year-old who pulled a gun and fired.
Defena Abbott said the victim, 47-year-old Ernie Thornsberry Jr., is good friends with her son.
She said they're stunned, not only about Thornsberry's murder, but also the age of his accused killer.
"It just tears my family apart," Abbott said. "Why would a 13-year-old have a gun? Why would he shoot somebody like that?"
It's the same question New Castle police are asking after Tuesday's deadly violence at South 21st Street and A Avenue.
"When we have it and it involves juveniles, especially at ages of 13, it's appalling," said New Castle Assistant Police Chief Justin Wardlow. "And this appears to have been a senseless and random act of violence. This was a random encounter between both parties."
Just before sunset, police responding to a possible hit-and-run discovered that the 47-year-old man down in the street had actually been shot.
Neighbors heard the gunfire.
"We heard like four pops and he just fell over," said neighbor David Hadley. "It was more blood than I ever seen."
"I actually heard the three gunshots when it happened," said neighbor Deanna McMillan. "I finally peeked out the window and that's about the time the police started to show up. It was very scary, because it's right here at my home. And then I heard it was a 13-year-old boy and that almost makes it worse, because I don't understand that at all, why a 13-year-old would feel like he needed to shoot somebody."
Another neighbor told police he saw four boys running from the shooting scene.
Detectives found and questioned them. Wardlow says they were all kids under 15. Police then arrested the 13-year-old on a murder charge and let the other teens go.
Investigators are still verifying where the gun came from and why this "random encounter" led to a man's death.
"I think it speaks to just concerns within our society how we value one another and we value human life," Wardlow said.
That night, Abbott said the victim had just left her son's garage. They'd been working on restoring a race car.
Just a few yards away, Thornsberry was shot in the street.
"Now he had to lose his best friend, who's like a brother to him for so many years," Abbott said. "For no reason, out of the blue. Why?"
The prosecutor's office is seeking to have the case waived to adult court. A hearing on the request has not been set, authorities said.