Boy, 17, will be prosecuted as adult in deadly Fort Ann shooting
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The 17-year-old Fort Ann boy accused of shooting and killing his 14-year-old friend will be prosecuted as an adult in criminal court – not family court. The judge’s decision – filed on Monday – means that if convicted, the 17-year-old could be sentenced to five to 15 years in prison.
The decision from Judge Adam Michelini spells out the legal reasons for keeping the case against a 17-year-old accused of shooting and killing 14-year-old Rycky Stark Jr. in criminal court. It’s namely that there was sufficient evidence the defendant caused significant injury and that he displayed a deadly weapon.
The judge’s decision refers to statements made by the 13-year-old girl and the 14-year-old boy who were in the apartment with Rycky and the 17-year-old at the time of the shooting.
NewsChannel 13 obtained copies of those statements, but is not identifying the teenagers involved or the 17-year-old defendant.
The 13-year-old told police:
The 17-year-old Fort Ann boy accused of shooting and killing his 14-year-old friend will be prosecuted as an adult in criminal court – not family court. The judge's decision – filed on Monday – means that if convicted, the 17-year-old could be sentenced to five to 15 years in prison.
“I saw him pointing the gun at Rycky and they were arguing about gun etiquette.”
“Rycky tried to push the gun up in the air so he backed up.”
Referring to the shotgun blast, she said,
“I turned around…and instantly could not hear…and saw Rycky laying on the ground crying and screaming.”
The 14-year-old told police that the 17-year-old defendant,
“…pointed the barrel of the shotgun directly towards Rycky and stated, ‘I got the gun. What are you going to do now?'”
“He was laughing while he said that. Rycky told him, ‘Be careful, gun etiquette.'”
“The gun fired, and he dropped the gun to the floor. Rycky stumbled backwards…and then fell to the floor.”
“Rycky said, ‘Someone get help, please help.'”
The 14-year-old told police, “the 17-year-old said, ‘We don’t need anyone else to help.'”
The 14-year-old also told police that the “Defendant told them, “We will say the gun fell out of the cabinet and shot Rycky.'”
The 17-year-old – who NewsChannel 13 is not currently identifying – will be back in criminal court later this week. His public defender wanted the case to be decided in family court.