MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police in Memphis, Tennessee, are questioning a 14-year-old boy they said shot and killed his mother’s ex-boyfriend during an argument.
It happened off Westview Road on Saturday afternoon.
On Sunday night, WHBQ-TV was told this was an abusive relationship, but the victim's family told the TV station something else.
The victim’s family told WHBQ that he didn’t even touch his ex-girlfriend.
They said he was packing up his stuff to leave when they started to argue, and that’s when police said the 14-year-old shot him.
“It wasn’t that serious you didn’t have to kill him; he did a lot for you,” said Dorothy Hampton, the victim’s sister-in-law.
Hampton said her brother-in-law, Mario Hampton, tried to escape from a toxic ex-girlfriend by packing his stuff to leave.
She said he argued with his ex at their home off Westview Road but never touched her.
“He was no danger to them; he wasn’t putting his hands on her he wasn’t beating on her,” Hampton said.
Police told WHBQ the same thing.
They said Hampton was in an argument with his ex, and he wasn’t armed.
Officers said that’s when the woman's 14-year-old son shot Hampton, then ran off.
Hampton later died at the hospital
“All the family things he’s going to miss, his kids’ birthday everything,” Hampton said. “I can’t deal with this.”
Police took the teenager into custody Monday, but his family still believes Hampton is the aggressor.
Family said the ex-couple argued all the time.
While police sort out the facts, family members on both sides try to come to terms with this.
“I'll forgive eventually, but I’ll never forget what you did, never, and I hope the same thing to you. I hope you lose someone close to you,” Hampton said.
Police said the 14-year-old has not been charged at this time.
WHBQ tried to get another statement from his mother but didn’t hear back.
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