Hamilton County District Attorney General Neal Pinkston has filed a request to have the 15-year-old male arrested in connection to the May 28 shooting which left six teenagers injured in downtown Chattanooga, be tried as an adult on Monday.
"We filed a notice of intent this morning to transfer the 15-year-old to Hamilton County Criminal Court," Bruce Garner, the office's spokesperson said in an email to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. "Juvenile Court Judge Robert Philyaw will consider the request in a transfer hearing, which has not happened yet. We think a date will be set in a couple of days."
Garner said the request was made to charge the minor with attempted first-degree murder. The office would not release his name to the press.
According to Tennessee law, there is no minimum age a person can be tried as an adult on first and second-degree attempted murder charges.
Chattanooga police officers were patrolling downtown Chattanooga when shots were heard at the 100 block of Walnut Street just before 11 p.m. Officers quickly responded to the area.
In a joint news conference with Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy, Kelly urged parents to keep guns out of the hands of children.
"But I'm also angry. Six teenagers were shot last night," Kelly said at the news conference held on May 29 at 3410 Amnicola Highway. "That's outrageous, and it has to stop. It's ridiculous that I even need to publicly state that guns have no place in the hands of our kids."
On June 3, Chattanooga Police said they arrested teenage male in connection to the shooting and charged him with six counts of attempted murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a dangerous felony, unlawful possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment.
According to police there is a second person of interest, but they would not release additional information.
Eight days later, another mass shooting in downtown Chattanooga occurred at the 2100 block of McCallie Avenue, which left 3 people dead among 17 victims, the youngest a 16-year-old male.
In a news conference held at the steps of City Hall on Sunday, Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy said the city has to do better.
"I cannot tell you how sad I am, and let's just do better," Murphy said, adding that the U.S. Attorney's Office as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had joined to assist with the investigation.
Contact La Shawn Pagán at lpagan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow her on Twitter @LaShawnPagan.