LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The family of the 14-year-old boy shot and killed in the St. Denis neighborhood held a vigil Thursday remembering the life of Darrin Thiele.
Thiele's aunt, Brandy Beckman told WHAS11 Thiele was a freshman at Butler High School who loved sports and had two younger sisters. The family believes an argument may have led to his murder.
"That’s a baby that was laying there, he’s 14 but that’s a baby," Tiffany Capito said who was in the neighborhood the day of the shooting to check on her grandmother.
"[My grandmother was just sitting on the front porch rocking," Capito said. "She had a couple of phone calls that said 'hey you need to go in and get in the house.'"
Another neighbor WHAS11 talked wanted to remain anonymous to protect her safety. She said things escalated when a group of kids or teenagers Thiele was with were arguing.
"They were going to fight and instead of fighting [one of the kids] pulled out a gun and shot him in the head," the neighbor said. "It's scary to think these kids walking the streets have guns in their pockets."
People who live in the neighborhood were used to seeing Thiele hanging out with other kids and playing basketball.
"A 14-year-old boy he's just a kid that his life was taken so short and so senseless it's awful it just breaks my heart," the neighbor said.
Thiele's family says he would've turned 15-years-old in May.
"I mean all you can do is just pray for him and his family," Capito said. "Hold your baby tight."
Anyone with information is asked to call LMPD's anonymous tip line at (502) 574-LMPD.
►Contact reporter Senait Gebregiorgis at SGebregior@whas11.com and follow her on Twitter @SenaitTV and Facebook.
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