Affidavit: Missing cell phone may have led to Colo. teen's murder
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -A 14-year-old boy was murdered because of a missing cell phone, according to an arrest affidavit.
Desmond Smith was shot outside Colorado Spring's Memorial Park on Saturday, and two of his friends told police they saw the whole thing, reports CBS affiliate KKTV.
Smith and the friends met up with some girls, who were also young teenagers, at Memorial Park a few hours before the shooting, they told police. While they were hanging out, two men and another girl pulled up in a white car.
The friends allegedly identified one of the men as 18-year-old Raymond Rogan Jr., according to the affidavit, which said that at some point Rogan lost his phone and accused the boys of taking it.
The victim's friends said they got their flashlights and helped Rogan look for the phone but couldn't find it. They said that after everyone left the park, one of the girls they had met earlier called asking if they could go back to the park and look for the missing phone.
Both witnesses said they saw the same white car from earlier in the day pull up to the park park area, according to police.
Investigators said six shots were then fired from inside the car. The boys said they ran, but heard Smith yell out when he was struck in the chest by a bullet.
The surviving boys said they hid near a building; when they went back to the park they found their friend lying in the road badly injured.
Smith died less than 20 minutes after officers arrived on scene.
Several hours after the shooting, Rogan, his uncle Riccardo Kirven and 35-year-old Raymond Rogan Sr. were arrested in connection with the shooting.
Police interviewed Rogan Jr. and Sr. separately. According to the affidavit, Rogan Jr. told police that after he left Memorial Park the first time, he went to his uncle's house. His uncle overheard his nephew talking about his missing phone and allegedly offered to help.
Police say Rogan Jr. identified Kirven as the shooter. Rogan Sr. is accused of hiding cartridge cases after the shooting.
Rogan Jr. and Kirven are facing charges of first degree murder. They are in jail being held without bond.