Shooting suspect, 17, charged with murder in juvenile court, sought house arrest
A palpable feeling of grief and anger came from a row of seats Tuesday inside a small, compact courtroom at the Greene County Juvenile Detention Center.
Several family members of the late Jacob Gatten witnessed the initial hearing of a 17-year-old accused of shooting and killing their brother, son, nephew and boyfriend on Saturday night in southeast Springfield.
The stoic teen, wearing an orange detention jumpsuit, sat fewer than 10 feet away.
Police said Gatten, 33, was shot following an argument in the street on South Sheridan Boulevard that involved several people before the situation escalated into gunfire.
The alleged shooter fled the scene and Gatten died at a local hospital. A probable cause statement by Springfield Police with details of the incident is not available because the case involves a juvenile suspect. He was arrested Sunday and formally charged in juvenile court with second-degree murder on Monday.
An attorney for the juvenile requested he be released from custody and be placed on house arrest because she said the evidence in the case could take longer than usual to gather.
Judge Andy Hosmer denied that request.
"When it comes to gun violence, I draw a hard red line there," Hosmer told the courtroom.
The suspect's mother and father were at the hearing and sat near their son. The parents, who also appeared tired and frustrated, said he had no previous trouble with the law and was on track to graduate high school early.
The teen told Hosmer he had no violent history and that "I want to be home in my own bed."
Some of Gatten's family members were taken aback by the teen's sentiment. Gatten's sister, Marissa Gatten, read a prepared statement to Hosmer that illustrated the grief the family is feeling and how much their lives had drastically changed in the past 72 hours.
They described Gatten as a fun, well-liked and loving young man who was a small business owner with a growing clientele. He was also a father.
The family's statement said that Gatten was unarmed when he was shot.
The nature of the teen's charges could lead to him being tried as an adult and his identity released to the public. A hearing to determine if that will happen will be held at a later date.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Teenage Springfield murder suspect seeks house arrest at court hearing
