13-year-old accused of shooting friend in back is charged with murder, PA officials say
A 13-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting his friend in the back has been charged with third-degree murder and related offenses, according to Pennsylvania authorities.
Kain Heiland, 12, was shot dead after telling his friend to “shut up” following a joke about his mother on Saturday, April 1, McClatchy News reported. Police said the 13-year-old responded by shooting the younger boy, killing him.
York County District Attorney Dave Sunday described Heiland’s death as an “indescribable loss” at a news conference with reporters on May 5. The conference was recorded by the York Dispatch.
After an investigation, Sunday said the 13-year-old has been charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, firearms not to be carried without a license, possession of a firearm by a minor, and recklessly endangering another person.
He identified the accused shooter as Nolan Grove of Red Lion.
Grove is being charged as an adult, Sunday said, and he surrendered on May 5.
“Decisions to charge anyone, let alone a 13-year-old, with third-degree murder are taken with the utmost seriousness and care,” Sunday said. “All of our decisions to prosecute Grove with third-degree murder and related offenses are solely based upon a deliberate and thorough consideration of the facts and applicable law through the utilization of the investigating grand jury process.
“We understand the gravity of our decision and we stand by it as what is required in the interest of justice,” Sunday continued.
‘A nightmare happened’
“(Kain) was spending the night at a friend’s house and a nightmare happened,” a family friend said in a GoFundMe. “He was MURDERED over a little argument and (a mom) lost her oldest son Kain to a gun shot wound from the back.”
Pennsylvania State Police troopers were called to a street in Red Lion at about 8:30 p.m. that Saturday, McClatchy News reported. Heiland was found dead when they arrived.
Heiland, Grove and another friend spent that Saturday together with plans to spend the night, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WPMT. Grove had gotten a gun from his home and a witness said he was seen “playing with it” throughout the day, police said.
Also throughout the day, Grove made “your mom” jokes toward Heiland, according to WHP. He would continue until told “to be quiet or shut up,” the station reported.
A witness reported that Grove had said “something” about Heiland’s mom at about 8:20 p.m., WPMT reported. Heiland told him to be quiet before he was shot “in the back from close range,” the station reported.
The third friend told his parents what happened, then police were called, the TV station reported.
Authorities found ammunition that matched the casing at Grove’s father’s house, WHP reported. The dad is not facing charges as of May 5, WHP reported.
“What I can say now is based on the facts that we identified through the course of the investigation and the law as it currently exists, at this point the father is not being charged with a crime,” Sunday said, according to WHP.
Red Lion is about 100 miles west of Philadelphia.
This story was originally published May 5, 2023 at 2:35 PM with the headline "13-year-old accused of shooting friend in back is charged with murder, PA officials say."