A 13-year-old boy from Oklahoma has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder in the crossbow shooting of his two younger friends last fall, one of whom died.
Shane Edward Brooks, of Wellston, is accused of firing a single hunting bolt at Austin Almanza, 10, and Ayden Almanza, 8, while playing with the siblings on October 21, 2017.
The older brother died at the scene after being struck in the abdomen. Ayden was taken to a hospital to be treated for an injury to his arm and was later released home.
Shane Edward Brooks (not pictured) has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder in the crossbow shooting of the Almanza brothers last fall. Ten-year-old Austin (seen left) died and eight-year-old Ayden (seen right with glasses) was injured
Rural road: The three boys were playing in a vacant lot along South Pecan Meadows Drive in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, when they allegedly had a falling-out
Sheriff’s officials say Brooks shot his younger friends with a single bolt from his brand-new crossbow (stock image)
Brooks was arrested the next day, but his name was initially withheld from the public while he was detained at a juvenile facility.
He was charged with Austin Almanza’s murder late last year, and his name was finally revealed this week.
During a preliminary hearing on Thursday, a judge ordered Brooks to undergo a mental health evaluation. He is due back in court on February 1.
According to an affidavit from the district attorney’s office, cited by NewsOK, the victims’ uncle, Roger Conaway, told investigators that he saw Brooks after the shooting dressed in camouflage and heard the teen say, ‘I think I murdered him accidentally.’ The boy then ran home in tears.
Conaway also told the authorities that he witnessed Brooks shooting arrows from his new crossbow into the air the day before the deadly incident, and described Shane as being ‘careless with the crossbow.’
Brooks’ stepfather, Merrill Darley, told investigators that the 13-year-old had just been gifted the crossbow the day before the Almanza brothers’ shooting.
A broad-head arrow pierced the left side of Austin’s (pictured) body, exited the right and stuck Ayden in the arm
Darley added that Brooks ‘has a good temperament’ but hates his mother and had previously struck her.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies responded to South Pecan Meadows Drive at around 5.50pm on Otober 21, to find Austin lying dead and Ayden with the broad-head arrow protruding from his arm.
The arrow pierced the left side of the 10-year’s old body, traveled through his torso, exited his right side and lodged in his younger brother’s left arm.
After the shooting, Desiree Brooks said her son Shane came to her, claiming that he did not know what happened and alleged that the crossbow was ‘loaded wrong.’
He added, according to the affidavit, that he realized the weapon had fired a bolt only after Austin collapsed to the ground with the arrow in his stomach.
Ayden Almanza, the survivor of the shooting, painted a different picture of the events of October 21, telling deputies from his hospital bed that Shane was mad at him and his late brother for trying to leave while the three boys were working on a treehouse together.
Brother Ayden (right) told deputies that Shane was ‘mean’ and on the day of the shooting, he grew mad at him and Austin for trying to leave
The wounded eight-year-old said that Shane, whom he described as being ‘always mean,’ grabbed his camouflage-colored crossbow equipped with a scope, hid in tall grass and then shot at them.
Ayden has revealed that the older boy had multiple weapons, including pistols, a shotgun, a rifle and airsoft guns, which Shane had allegedly fired at him a month before the crossbow incident.
Brooks has been out on $130,000 bail since last month. Under the conditions of his release, the 13-year-old must wear a GPS monitor, abide by an 8pm curfew, is prohibited from being around any weapons and cannot leave his house without adult supervision.