A Carroll High School senior was shot and killed on the Southside Tuesday night, highlighting a skyrocketing trend of juvenile gun violence in Nueces County as police continue to search for a suspect.
Juvenile gun offenses in the county have increased from around 12 cases in 2017 to 62 last year.
The surge in violence prompted Judge Timothy McCoy to launch a juvenile weapons court. The program targets at-risk youth before they commit a violent crime, focusing on conflict resolution and education about the dangers of gun violence.
Nueces County addresses skyrocketing juvenile gun violence cases
“Unfortunately, the court has been put in a position to dole out the harshest sentences I’ve ever given to children, where I’m throwing, given, or these kids are getting sentenced to the maximum and hard, you know, to get them off the streets. Did it make a difference? Not one bit of difference,” McCoy said…