Indianapolis teen charged with six counts of murder for allegedly shooting pregnant woman and his family members
An Indianapolis teenager was charged Thursday with six counts of murder for allegedly shooting family members and a pregnant woman on Sunday, according to court documents.
Raymond Childs III, 17, was also charged with attempted murder of a brother who fled the family house after the initial shooting and carrying a handgun without a license, according to court documents shared by the Marion County prosecutor’s office.
He is being charged as an adult “due to his age and the allegation of murder,” according to a release from the prosecutor’s office.
Childs is represented by the Marion County Public Defender Agency, which would not comment on the charges, the agency told CNN.
“We intend to seek justice for the victims, and to do so in a way that respects the process and all of the circumstances present in this case,” prosecutor Ryan Mears said in the release.
The killings are the city’s largest mass casualty shooting in more than 10 years, Indianapolis Metro Police Chief Randal Taylor said Sunday.
Childs allegedly killed his family members after his father chastised him for “leaving the house without permission,” according to court documents.
Childs allegedly shot and killed his brother Elijah before shooting his father, Raymond Childs, Jr., and stepmother Kezzie Childs.
Detectives also found his deceased 13-year-old sister. Elijah’s pregnant girlfriend, Kiara Hawkins, was declared dead at a hospital, according to affidavits filed Thursday.
One murder count includes the unborn child of Hawkins, who was “near birth,” according to a summary of autopsy findings.
Raymond Childs III’s next court appearance is April 21, according to the prosecutor’s office.