JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For the first time, the police interrogation video of one of Jacksonville’s youngest murder suspects has been released.
Earlier this year, Sharron Townsend, now 14, pleaded guilty to murder charges.
Townsend admitted to police he and a friend shot at Thomas Trent, a homeless man.
We have interrogation video of 12 year old Sharron Townsend one of Jacksonville's youngest killers, all new at 5 @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/FcF2R7wtVY
— Bridgette Matter (@bridgetteANjax) December 19, 2016
Detective: “Where you get a gun?”
Townsend: “I got it from Darrell.”
"Why do you think you had the right to do that?" A detective asks 12 yr old Sharron Townsend in interrogation videos about murdering a man.
— Bridgette Matter (@bridgetteANjax) December 19, 2016
He talks to detectives about drugs, fighting and hiding a knife after the shooting.
Townsend said he and a 16-year-old boy had been hanging out and that Trent had run up to them and they had fired shots at him.
Detective: “Did you not tell me you were the first to fire a shot at the man?”
Townsend: “Yeah, I did.”
5:00 Detective: How do you know the one you shot didn’t shoot the man?Townsend: Because he was still up. @ActionNewsJax
— Bridgette Matter (@bridgetteANjax) December 19, 2016
Townsend told police he fired a shot but it didn't hit the man who was killed. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/V8S08nJOT8
— Bridgette Matter (@bridgetteANjax) December 19, 2016
Townsend’s story changed multiple times during the interrogation, which lasted until after midnight.
When police asked if he wanted to speak with them, Townsend said yes.
His mother was upset, saying he should have not said anything without a lawyer present, and that his life is ruined.
“You only 12 years old. You not even understanding. You just threw your whole life away,” she said.
Two years later, in June of 2016 at age 14, Townsend pleaded guilty to his charges.
He is expected to be sentenced in February to anywhere from 10 to 40 years in prison.
Townsend describing the night he shot at a man " The knife was right there I grabbed the knife and put it in my pocket." @ActionNewsJax at 5
— Bridgette Matter (@bridgetteANjax) December 19, 2016
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