OKLAHOMA
CITY (AP) —
An Australian
man attending
an Oklahoma
college on a
baseball
scholarship
was shot and
killed in what
police described
Monday as a
random act of
violence by three
"bored" teenagers
who decided to
kill someone for
the fun of it.
CITY (AP) —
An Australian
man attending
an Oklahoma
college on a
baseball
scholarship
was shot and
killed in what
police described
Monday as a
random act of
violence by three
"bored" teenagers
who decided to
kill someone for
the fun of it.
Christopher Lane,
22, of Melbourne,
was found dead
Friday while visiting
the town of Duncan,
where his girlfriend
lives. Three boys,
ages 15, 16, and
17, are in custody
and face a court
appearance
Tuesday
afternoon.
22, of Melbourne,
was found dead
Friday while visiting
the town of Duncan,
where his girlfriend
lives. Three boys,
ages 15, 16, and
17, are in custody
and face a court
appearance
Tuesday
afternoon.
Duncan Police Chief Danny Ford said Monday a
woman called police after she saw Lane stagger
across the road and fall to the ground in the
south-central Oklahoma town of about 24,000
residents. Ford said Lane, who was staying with
his girlfriend and her family in Duncan, had jogged
past a home where the three boys were staying. He
said the shooting appeared to be completely random.
woman called police after she saw Lane stagger
across the road and fall to the ground in the
south-central Oklahoma town of about 24,000
residents. Ford said Lane, who was staying with
his girlfriend and her family in Duncan, had jogged
past a home where the three boys were staying. He
said the shooting appeared to be completely random.
Autopsy results are pending. Ford wouldn't say how
many times Lane was shot.
many times Lane was shot.
Ford said the 17-year-old has given a detailed
confession to police, but that investigators have
not been able to locate the murder weapon.
confession to police, but that investigators have
not been able to locate the murder weapon.
"They saw Christopher go by, and one of them
said: 'There's our target,' " Ford said. "The boy
who has talked to us said, 'We were bored and
didn't have anything to do, so we decided to kill
somebody.'
said: 'There's our target,' " Ford said. "The boy
who has talked to us said, 'We were bored and
didn't have anything to do, so we decided to kill
somebody.'
"They followed him in the car to that area, s
hot him in the back and drove off," Ford said.
hot him in the back and drove off," Ford said.
He said the district attorney is expected to
file first-degree murder charges Tuesday. It
wasn't known if the three will be charged as
adults or as juveniles.
file first-degree murder charges Tuesday. It
wasn't known if the three will be charged as
adults or as juveniles.
Sarah Harper, Lane's girlfriend, told the Australian
Broadcasting Corp. that the two had only returned
to the United States from Australia last week.
Broadcasting Corp. that the two had only returned
to the United States from Australia last week.
"He didn't deserve any of this," Harper told the
network. "It's heartbreaking that it was such a random
choice those guys made that drastically altered so
many lives in the process."
network. "It's heartbreaking that it was such a random
choice those guys made that drastically altered so
many lives in the process."
Lane attended East Central University in Ada,
about 85 miles west of Duncan. He started 14
games at catcher last year and was entering his
senior year.
about 85 miles west of Duncan. He started 14
games at catcher last year and was entering his
senior year.
"He was an absolute joy to coach," baseball coach
Dino Rosato said in a statement issued by the school.
"Chris was an extremely well-respected teammate. …
He set a great example for all of his teammates, but
more importantly for the younger players. He was a
mature student-athlete who his teammates could
look to for advice and support.
Dino Rosato said in a statement issued by the school.
"Chris was an extremely well-respected teammate. …
He set a great example for all of his teammates, but
more importantly for the younger players. He was a
mature student-athlete who his teammates could
look to for advice and support.
Ford told Oklahoma City television station KOCO that one
of the teenagers said they shot Lane for "the fun of it."
of the teenagers said they shot Lane for "the fun of it."
The chief told the Duncan Banner that police detained the
three boys near a car and had retrieved a dismantled shotgun
from the vehicle, but that Lane had been shot with another gun
that had not yet been found. He said police have had
"problems" with two of the three juveniles previously.
He did not elaborate.
three boys near a car and had retrieved a dismantled shotgun
from the vehicle, but that Lane had been shot with another gun
that had not yet been found. He said police have had
"problems" with two of the three juveniles previously.
He did not elaborate.
Peter Lane, the boy's father, told Australian broadcasters
there was no explanation for his son's death.
there was no explanation for his son's death.
"It is heartless and to try to understand it is a
short way to insanity," he said.
short way to insanity," he said.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights
reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten
or redistributed.
reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten
or redistributed.
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