A teenage girl was charged for the murder of her boyfriend who was shot and killed by a SWAT officer.
The victim, 16-year-old Julius E. Tate Jr., was involved in an undercover operation where police set up meetings online with people wanting to buy and sell goods. According to the Columbus Dispatch, the teen was involved in one of those meetings on December 7.
An undercover SWAT officer met with Julius hoping to exchange cash for an undisclosed item when the teen allegedly pulled out a handgun and tried to rob the officer.
Local news station NBC 4 reports a backup officer shot the teen. He was transported to a local medical center and pronounced dead at 6:32 p.m.
"No one ever came to me, Julius' mother, nor his father… and stated anything that went on," his mother, Jamita Malone, told ABC 6. "How can the police have a narrative of what happened, and not call me about it?"
Police are claiming Julius' girlfriend, 16-year-old Masonique Saunders, played a part in the robbery. Court documents state the teen had a handgun on her person during the time of the botched exchange.
She was taken into custody December 14 and charged with murder and aggravated robbery even though she did not kill her boyfriend or partake in the robbery.
“She’s denying that she was involved in this. And I’m not getting into the specifics of the case, but she’s denying involvement,” Byron Potts, her defense attorney, told NBC 4.
Although she denied playing any part in Julius' murder, Masonique is facing an uphill battle. Ohio state law says a person can be charged with murder if they "cause the death of another as a proximate result of the offender's committing or attempting to commit an offense of violence that is a felony of the first or second degree."
Danielle Williams, Masonique's mother, told news outlet 10TV her daughter should not be charged with murder and claimed Masonique told her Julius did not have a gun and officers fired on him for no apparent reason.
"She said he didn't [have a gun]," Williams told 10TV.
Authorities reportedly recovered a weapon at the scene of the shooting, but its ownership has yet to be confirmed.
"I don't think that's right," Williams said. "They shouldn't be able to do that unless they actually physically murdered them. Unless they actually pulled the trigger and shot him. But, she didn't."
A hearing to determine whether Masonique will be charged as an adult is scheduled for Thursday, reports NBC4.
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