Prosecutors seeking to charge 16-year-old shooting suspect as an adult

By: Amanda Pitts

alpitts@abc6.com

@AmandaPittsTV

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The suspect in Wednesday’s fatal shooting of 15-year-old William Parsons outside of a Providence high school faced a judge Friday.

The teen, who’s identity can’t be revealed due to his age, appeared in family court in a wheelchair as he suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound while fleeing police. He’s accused of killing Parsons outside of the Providence Career and Technical Academy.

Prosecutors said the suspect is a known gang member who has a history of bringing weapons like BB guns and knives to school. The school the suspect attends has not yet been revealed, but police say he doesn’t attend any of the Providence schools in the area of the shooting.

The prosecution said Friday surveillance video shows the suspect getting into a verbal altercation with three others, and the moment the teen pulled a firearm, pointing it into a crowd of students, and striking Parsons as he waited for his dad to pick him up.

The 15-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the cheek and neck and was pronounced dead at Hasbro Children’s Hospital just after 3 p.m.

The prosecution added that the suspect is seen fleeing the scene, and hopping from his injury on Sprague Street. They also said he was seen taking off his shirt, wrapping the firearm inside, and tossing it into a vacant lot. Police later recovered it.

The teen told police he was injured in a drive-by shooting.

The Attorney General’s office said they have filed a waiver seeking to have the suspect tried as an adult.

The suspect was ordered detained at the Rhode Island Training School. He will face a judge again on Wednesday, September 12, for a probable cause hearing.

(c) WLNE-TV 2018