On the eve of March 30, 2023, six young people – aged 12-17 – came together in Marion County, Florida, and began a crime spree that ended tragically.

Three of them would be dead by sunrise on April 1. Murdered by their partners in crime.

According to court affidavits, the group combined to commit various crimes, including robbery.

At some point, things went wrong. In the words of Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, “There is no honor among thieves.”

Two of the victims were 16, the other was 17. Two were female, and one was male. Two were shot without warning. The third victim was considered a witness and therefore was eliminated. The killers attempted to hide and dispose of the bodies.

It was cold-blooded murder.

The killers’ youth, who were 12, 16, and 17 years old, was surprising considering the sophistication of the crimes.

Sheriff Woods says they were all affiliated with groups committing illegal acts (gangs), but there is no evidence the murders resulted from gang rivalry.

The suspects, including the 12-year-old, are charged with robbery and first degree murder.

There will be much litigation about the severity of the charges considering the defendants’ age. The prosecution will point out that the victims were also young.

Understandably, Woods was emotional when addressing the press. When asked about gun laws, he responded by saying the killers used a stolen gun; and all the gun laws we have would not have prevented these murders.

Youth violence has reached epidemic proportions. The sheriff referred to causative factors such as family, church, school, and society.

Law enforcement must play a part in any solutions to the problem of youth violence, but others must also be called on to help.

We will discuss possible solutions more.

Jim Leach’s book “You Can Tell ME, Effective Interviewing Made Simple,” is available at “booksbyleach.com” and Amazon.com.