15-year-old gang member killed Fort Worth teen in marijuana sale gone wrong, warrant says
A 15-year-old who has posted several photos of himself holding what appear to be firearms on social media is the gunman who shot and killed a 19-year-old Fort Worth man in May during a marijuana deal that went bad, according to a warrant.
The teen remained on the run as of Tuesday.
Patrick Wade Jr., 18, of Fort Worth, who Fort Worth police say drove the getaway vehicle in the case, was arrested on Aug. 12 and he remained in custody on Tuesday.
Wade was charged with capital murder on Monday for his role in the killing, which occurred on May 26 in east Fort Worth. Tyion Nickolelis Scruggs of Fort Worth was shot to death that day.
Wade was in the Tarrant County Jail on Tuesday in lieu of $200,000 bond.
The warrant written by Detective J. Cedillo provided this account of the shooting:
Scruggs, a woman and their two children drove to a store in the 400 block of South Edgewood Terrace to buy water, the woman told detectives.
In the store parking lot, the woman said, Scruggs was called over to a red Ford car, but Scruggs returned to his car and retrieved $40.
Wade, who was in the driver’s side of the red car, told detectives he had picked up the 15-year-old at a nearby apartment complex and drove to the store. The 15-year-old is not being identified because he is a juvenile.
While Wade and the 15-year-old sat in the red car, Scruggs approached their vehicle and offered to sell them marijuana. Wade said he didn’t know Scruggs, according to the warrant.
After negotiating on the amount of marijuana and Scruggs going back and forth to his car, Scruggs handed them marijuana.
Wade said he accidentally pushed the gas pedal and Scruggs jumped into the vehicle.
At that point, Wade said, he had his handgun on his lap and Scruggs grabbed it. During the ensuing struggle and as Wade tried to drive away with Scruggs hanging on the car, the 15-year-old shot Scruggs, according to the warrant.
Scruggs fell onto the street, but he managed to get Wade’s handgun.
Wade drove away and admitted seeing a Fort Worth police car in the area and considered stopping, but he didn’t. He drove the 15-year-old to the Woodhaven area of east Fort Worth and dropped him off. The 15-year-old got out of the red car with the stolen marijuana.
A patrol officer was flagged down in the neighborhood by the woman after the shooting had occurred on the street. The officer found Scruggs on Edgewood Terrace.
Scruggs died from a gunshot wound to his chest, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office website. His death was ruled a homicide.
Detectives tracked down Wade from a store surveillance video which captured a Texas license plate number.
Wade and the 15-year-old were social media associates, according to the warrant.
The 15-year-old is a confirmed member of a gang and has been a fugitive since Jan. 16 when Fort Worth police say he stole a vehicle, according to the warrant.
This story was originally published August 18, 2020 at 11:08 AM.
