JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Three teens have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a 14-year-old in July.
William Brown, 18, and Le'Glenn Schofield, 19, are charged with murder in the death of James Thomas. Michael Wiggins, 17, is charged as an accessory.
Police said Thomas was on a mandatory swimming break at the Johnnie Walker Community Center pool in Northwest Jacksonville at about 2 p.m. July 11 when he went out to the parking lot.
Police said Wiggins was driving a car that pulled up, and Schofield and Brown fired shots from inside the car. Police said Thomas was shot once, and the fatal bullet came from Brown's gun.
The suspects never got out of the vehicle, police said.
"The only explanation that I have for this: They knew of each other, but the suspects were upset with the victim because he was dating a girl that they knew, and they didn't approve of that relationship," Assistant Chief Chris Butler said. "It was a spontaneous act that happened. It wasn't anything that was predetermined or anything at all. They just happened to see him, pull up in the car and started firing shots at the, as you know, a crowded swimming pool area."
Butler said the suspects are not related to the girl. He said Brown was the only suspect who didn't confess.
Police said they recovered the guns used in the killing, and that's how they determined who fired the fatal shot."That was my boy for real," said Manaigeia Mobley, a friend a Thomas. "Me and my girlfriend, we used to call him our son. That was my son."
Their four year age difference didn't make Mobley and Thomas any less of friends. He said he and Thomas, whom he called J5, spent summer days together at the community center pool, where Mobley was a lifeguard.
"That day he died, I was expecting to see him later that day," Mobley said.
Mobley said as the months passed by with no arrests, "I thought it wasn't going to get solved, because a lot of murders right now, no one is getting caught. That's why I'm glad they did catch somebody, and I hope that that is them. 'Cause this is tragic -- 14 years old -- tragic."
Thomas' basketball coach, Frampton Brown, said the motive police gave for the killing is disturbing.
"It's a hurting feeling because they don't understand if they keep living, you'll see girls from the time you're a baby all the way to the time you're my age," he said. "Those are things I wish I could change."
Frampton Brown said he's praying for everyone involved.
"This is senseless, really senseless," he said. "And we're just going to continue to pray for him and the guys that's locked up and the families."
Thomas' older brother, 24-year-old Carlton Hardaman, was shot and killed in February 2013. Thomas' mother had just come back from court, where a man was convicted of killing Hardaman, when Thomas was shot.
Thomas' mother said she and her family are grieving right now and it's just been very hard for her.