The Nashville children are ages 12 to 16, and prosecutors want to charge the little monsters as adults.
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On Friday, Nashville police announced that five children had been arrested for the cold-blooded murder of 24-year-old musician Kyle Yorlets.
Prosecutors want to try five Nashville juveniles, ages 12 to 16, as adults for gunning down the man who simply stood in his driveway.
Under Tennessee law, three of the five can be identified because they are charged with a savage crime and they are over the age of 13.
Roniyah McKnight, 14; Diamond Lewis, 15, and Decorrius Wright, 16, as well as a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy are all facing criminal homicide charges.
The 12-year-old’s attorney argued her case did not belong in adult court, pointing out that the girl ‘cooperated’ with police after her arrest, but Assistant District Attorney Stacy Miller disagreed.
“She didn’t run from there, and she didn’t call the police,” Miller said. “She’s as guilty as they are.”
“Police said Friday the shooting appeared to be random. Investigators believe the group of young people had been hanging out in the alley behind Yorlets’ Torbett Street home when they spotted him and approached with a gun.”
“He’s an absolute, absolute innocent victim,” police spokesman Don Aaron told reporters.
“None of the five individuals is a stranger to the system or this police department,” Aaron said.
So, these budding criminals were ripe for their next big crime. Apparently, they conducted a robbery spree.
The five juveniles fled the scene after shooting Yorlets, and were arrested hours later at the West Nashville Walmart on Charlotte Pike.
“Yorlets, originally from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, graduated from Belmont University in May 2017 and was a member of the Nashville-based band Carverton.
“Yorlets’ band released a statement Friday morning saying they were ‘in a state of shock.’”
“We are heartbroken,” the statement read. “Our condolences for his family and loved ones and all the lives that he touched. We will never forget Kyle, and though he is gone too soon his legacy is here to stay. We thank you for your support and will talk to you soon.”
“The department’s involvement in the case started Thursday morning with the search for the 12-year-old girl, who had run away from home, Aaron said. As the search progressed, he said, police discovered Snapchat posts showing the girl in a car “with other young people with guns.”
“Investigators believe the group of young people wound up in a stolen Chevrolet Colorado pickup taken from Oak Grove, Kentucky, in the alley behind Yorlets’ home when they saw him outside.
“The minors approached Yorlets and took his wallet, according to police. Investigators believe someone shot Yorlets after he refused to give up the keys to his vehicle.
“After the shooting, Aaron said, Yorlets made it back inside his home where he was found by one of his housemates about an hour later. He was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.”
“As we began looking at the descriptions provided by witnesses on Torbett Street it became clear that the persons with the 12-year-old were likely the same ones in the pickup truck,” Aaron said.
Police said the minors ditched the stolen pickup on Timberland Drive in the Hermitage Precinct.
“They also found a loaded 9 mm pistol, which had been reported stolen, with one of them. Police found a second loaded and stolen pistol inside the Walmart.
These kids, although young, knew exactly what they were doing, prosecutors have argued, and many people agree. Trying them as adults is entirely appropriate.
