Three boys as young as 12 shot by man they tried to rob at gunpoint on Christmas night: cops

Police in Texas reported that three boys, as young as 12, were shot by a man they attempted to rob at gunpoint on Christmas night.

The group of armed kids appeared so young that the 25-year-old victim and his girlfriend initially thought it was a prank when the boys confronted them outside their Houston apartment complex, as reported by ABC 13.

When the boys tried to rob him, the 25-year-old man defended himself by using his own gun and shooting at them, resulting in injuries to three of the boys.

One of the boys, aged just 12, was hospitalized in critical condition.

Two other boys, aged 12 and 13, returned to the scene seeking help for their non-fatal injuries. Additionally, a 14-year-old boy who was unharmed was taken into custody.

The man who shot the boys, aged 25, remained at the scene and is cooperating with authorities. He is not currently facing any charges, according to ABC 13.

Neighbor Bruce Bailey contacted the authorities upon hearing one of the boys in severe pain, pleading for help and identifying himself as a young child.

“I screamed out to him, ‘Are you OK?’ And he just put his hand in the air and screamed for help,” Bailey recounted to KHOU.

Speaking of the critically injured 12-year-old, Bailey told ABC 13, “One of the police officers was trying to keep him coherent and everything, and he said, ‘What did you get for Christmas?’”

Investigators are currently determining whether the boys were using BB guns or real firearms during the attempted robbery.

Reflecting on the incident, Bailey questioned the presence of parental supervision and the access to firearms, especially on Christmas, stating, “Of all things, being Christmas, and this is a child, first thing that comes to my mind is, number one, where is the parent? Number two, if you got here with a gun, what are you doing out here with a gun?”