THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 10, 1996 TAG: 9602100257
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
A 13-year-old boy who police said fatally shot a teenage friend Friday has been charged with reckless use of a firearm.
The victim, William F. Strahler, 14, was taken to Virginia Beach General Hospital, where he died.
The 13-year-old apparently lives at the house in the 3400 block of Woodsman Lane where the shooting occurred.
Before leaving with detective Alan Ball for questioning at police headquarters, the boy stood outside the one-story house and sobbed loudly. At one point, he wailed, ``I didn't do anything wrong, man.''
A woman, identified as the 13-year-old boy's mother, declined detective Steve Dunn's request for permission to gather evidence from inside the house. She told police to get a search warrant. They did.
The shooting happened about 3:30 p.m. inside the ranch-style house near Bow Creek Municipal Golf Course.
Police spokesman Lou Thurston said the city's communications center received a 911 hang-up call from the residence and dispatched officers to investigate.
The dispatcher tried to call the residence, but the person who answered said the dispatcher had dialed the wrong number, Thurston said. Moments later, a second call came from the residence reporting the gunshot, Thurston said.
The victim apparently lived in the same neighborhood. He was shot once in the upper body.
The boy, whose name was not released because of his age, was released to his parents Friday night. Police said the boy's parents could be charged with a misdemeanor if authorities believe they allowed their their child to have access to a gun.
KEYWORDS: GUN SHOOTING JUVENILE FATALITY by CNB