A woman said the 15-year-old and 16-year-old “looked like little tiny kids.” But Chattanooga police arrested the pair who allegedly pointed guns at Greenway Farm visitors. The boys are charged with aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to a news report.
The 18-year-old woman who described the boys as “tiny kids” sent the Chattanooga Times Free Press a video clip and photo of the encounter.
A city police department spokesperson said the Greenway Farm visitors – who do not know the teens – had allegedly been threatened at gunpoint.
A third teen was with the two juveniles who have been arrested, but he fled. Police told the newspaper that he isn’t now facing charges.
The 18-year-old said she was in a group of seven people walking back to their vehicles when they heard a commotion nearby. Someone threw a punch at her boyfriend, who threw a returning punch, and then the two teens reportedly pulled out guns.
According to the newspaper account, the boys with guns then yelled at the woman and her group to get in their vehicles and drive off, which they did. A short distance away, they called police.
Of course, it is impossible to know who said what and did what from a brief news article. But there is no doubt that a young person facing criminal charges needs to take these matters seriously. A conviction can narrow future education and job opportunities, which makes it critical for the young defendant and their family to sit down with a criminal defense attorney experienced in representing juveniles and discuss the charges, evidence and legal options.
