SAN ANTONIO — A 14-year-old boy accused of being involved in a carjacking at a westside store early Tuesday and then being involved in a shooting with the police officers who were trying to catch him made his first court appearance Wednesday.
Prosecutors told the judge even though it is the teen’s first time to face charges, he should be held accountable.
The slight-framed teen with shackled hands and feet, appeared before Judge William Cruz Shaw to answer to a charge of evading arrest.
When the boy complained about feeling sick before the hearing started, a bailiff handed him a trash can in case he became ill and the judge told him to put a mask on.
The complaint didn’t stop the proceedings, where court officials said his situation is much more serious than trying to escape from police.
“The police report speaks to possible charges involving shooting at police officers,” Moses Moreno, with the county’s juvenile probation division, told the judge.
Initial reports from the scene indicated police did recover several weapons.
A prosecutor asked the judge to keep the teen locked up.
“There is weapons involved. He is not allowing himself to be adequately supervised,” the prosecutor said.
The boy's defense attorney asked that he be released to relatives, but court personnel pointed out much of his family is out of state, including his mother.
“I did speak with the mother briefly. She did state they are migrant workers and they live in between San Antonio and Michigan,” Moreno told the judge.
Upon hearing the boy comes from a hard-working family, Judge Shaw remarked "so his mom travels back and forth, to support him and you're doing stupid stuff like this?"
In a hearing that lasted less than five minutes, the judge said the streets are safer with this teen locked up, as he could be a danger to himself or the community.
The teen will be back in court on Dec. 20 for another detention hearing.
Click here for more on the carjacking incident from early Tuesday.