A North Carolina teen was brought to tears, screaming in disbelief, and needed to be held up by court officers after he was told by a judge he would be charged as an adult for murder.
Sean Simpson, 16, was charged with first-degree murder last month for allegedly shooting Zaquavious Dawkins, also 16, on Jan. 26 in Gastonia, about 20 miles outside Charlotte, WCCB reported.
The alleged killer was seen sobbing and unable to stand on his own as a judge appointed him a capital defender, denied him bail, and told him he would be charged as an adult.
“I love you, Mama! I love you, Mama,” Simpson wailed out as he was escorted out of the courtroom on Jan. 29.
He allegedly gunned down Dawkins as he was walking with a friend to pick up items for his disabled mother at a Family Dollar when a black Tesla drove past them and a boy — identified as Simpson — yelled at them from the back passenger seat, the Gaston Gazette reported.
The Tesla returned and headed toward the boys, prompting them to run away.
Simpson then allegedly started to shoot at them from the back of the car as they fled — hitting Dawkins in the right shoulder.
The teen was found by police covered in blood in a parking lot and died from his injuries. His friend was also injured in the shooting but survived.
Simpson was arrested two days later by the Gastonia Police Department at the Gaston Adolescent Center — a facility for children with emotional and behavioral difficulties.
The alleged killer teen had been receiving treatment at the center when he was arrested.
Dawkins’ aunt, Denise Wilson, who was in court when Simpson was charged, told WCCB that her nephew and Simpson had problems with each other last year, but they believed the two settled the issue.
Simpson is believed to be one of the first teenagers to be charged under a new state law enacted on Dec. 1 that can charge 16- and 17-year-olds as adults if they are accused of committing class A through E felonies, including murder.
He faces a potential grand jury indictment for Dawkins’ murder.
