Teen held in Franklin Park shooting

3/10/2014
BLADE STAFF

The 15-year-old boy linked to a shooting outside Franklin Park Mall on Saturday night was ordered today to remain in juvenile lock up.

The teen is charged with inducing panic, but juvenile prosecutor Lori Olender said additional charges — including carrying concealed weapons and tampering with evidence — could be filed later today.

Toledo police reported that officers working an off-duty project at the mall had just walked into a parking structure when they heard several shots and saw several males running at about 9 p.m. No injuries were reported.

The officers stopped one of the males and suspect descriptions were broadcast and, soon after, the accused 15-year-old was found in the Kohl's parking lot with a group of other people, according to a police incident report.

Police reported finding a 0.45-caliber round in the boy's pants pocket. A handgun was found in a nearby snowbank.

In court today, Magistrate William Hutcheson asked the Start High School freshman, who is currently suspended, if he would like to say anything on his behalf.

"I was shooting," the boy started to explain before the public defender at his side, David Baker, stopped the teen and said they would not make any statements in court today.

Magistrate Hutcheson asked the boy again if he had anything to say, to which the teen said, "I didn't harm nobody," until he was again stopped by the attorney.

The boy told the magistrate he wishes to either box, play football, or take care of his grandmother upon graduation from high school.

Mr. Baker asked that the boy be released to his mother from detention citing his "somewhat limited" criminal record and lack of felony charges.

The magistrate declined to do so and ordered the boy remain in detention saying that gun-related crimes are "about as serious as it gets" in juvenile court.

A second court date was scheduled for March 24.