The death of a 14-year-old male, who police claim was attempting an armed robbery of another 14-year-old who shot him in self-defense, led to a protest Monday outside Decatur Police Department by people who claimed the shooter is being treated leniently by police because he is white.

Family members and a funeral home confirmed the death of Avantae “Tae Tae” Alexander, who is Black. Two other 14-year-olds and a 13-year-old, who police said were involved in the robbery attempt, were arrested and charged Sunday with robbery and murder. Under Alabama law, any death resulting from the commission of a felony can support a murder charge.

Protesters and friends said all three of those arrested Sunday were Black.

The 14-year-old shooter was charged Monday with possession of a pistol by a minor, a charge police announced in a news release even as protesters gathered in front of City Hall.

Police have identified the ages, but not the names or races, of the five juveniles involved.

Police said the shooter was turned over to the Morgan County Juvenile Probation Office for detention on the pistol possession charge. The other three juveniles are being held at the Juvenile Detention Center in Tuscumbia.

Police responded to the shooting on the 1200 block of Pennylane Southeast at 6:42 a.m. Sunday. Alexander was transported to Decatur Morgan Hospital suffering from a gunshot wound where, police said, he died from his injuries.

Police said three of the juveniles arranged to meet the intended robbery victim at 21st Avenue Southeast and that the eventual shooting victim was armed when he joined them to participate in the robbery attempt.

Samantha Dawson, Alexander’s cousin, was one of about three dozen people attending Monday’s protest. She said she does not believe the boys intended to rob the shooter and that police are treating the shooter differently because he is white.

In a statement, Decatur Police Chief Todd Pinion responded to the complaints of preferential treatment and said, “That’s not the case. We go where the evidence leads us and present the case to the juvenile system.”

A few members of area NAACP chapters were present at the protest including Morgan County NAACP President Rodney Gordon, who spoke with Pinion about the accusations in his office during the protest.

Gordon called the meeting with Pinion “progressive.”

“He explained a lot of things to us,” Gordon said. “For instance, the mother (of Alexander) hasn’t seen the child yet. Well, he’s not withholding the child from the mother because he wants to. That’s protocol. They don’t want to contaminate the situation.”

Police issued a release Monday night that stressed they were limited in what information they could release publicly on the incident because “of state law that affords juveniles in the court system the right to confidentiality throughout the entire legal process.”

Police also said, ” The Morgan County District Attorney’s Office was briefed (on) all investigative information prior to any charges being filed. The case is still ongoing, and all information will be forwarded to the Morgan County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.”

Azaria Garrett, a friend of the slain juvenile, said Alexander was a good student and respected by his peers. Alexander and the three other juveniles police claim participated in the robbery attempt were all students at Austin Junior High, where they played football, according to friends and family members.

“That is not him; he was a sweet, loving boy,” Garrett said of Alexander. “He has never been in any trouble. It’s not in his nature.”

Austin Middle teacher Karen Yarbrough said the victim attended her school last year and was a hard worker in the classroom and had been a close friend to her 13-year-old daughter since they were in elementary school.

“He always had a smile on his face and he always, always respected me,” Yarbrough said. “(My daughter) is broken right now. He had just asked her to help him with his work Thursday. My heart hurts for his mother and his family; he was destined to be great.”

Tay Hammonds, one of the Alexander’s friends at Austin Junior, said there was no way the juvenile would rob someone.

“He was not like that at all,” Hammonds said. “He wasn’t even a fighter.”

Another friend and teammate at Austin Junior, 14-year-old Dominic Redman, said he could not accept the police version of events.

“They shouldn’t say things like that about someone they don’t know,” Redman said.

Jackson Memory Funeral Home in Town Creek is handling arrangements for Alexander. Henry Jackson, manager and owner of the funeral home, said he expected to receive the boy’s body later Monday. He said he spoke to the family Sunday and they were distraught.

Decatur City Schools on Monday afternoon issued a statement on Alexander’s death. School was out Monday and today for fall break, but the DCS statement said grief counselors would be available for students Wednesday.

” Decatur City Schools is saddened to report the death of a 14-year-old student,” according to the statement. “Dr. Mark Christopher, principal at Austin Junior High School, reached out to the student’s family to offer condolences on behalf of Decatur City Schools. The student was a member of the football program at Austin Junior High School. We ask that you keep this student and his family in your thoughts and prayers.”

Redman said Alexander was an excellent wide receiver at Austin Junior.

“He was going to actually make it in a football career. He was going to make it to the NFL,” Redman said. “We’d do all the same things: Football practice, go to the Aquadome and play basketball and then we’d all go home. Nothing more than that.

“It’s got me sad inside. I miss him. At first when it happened I woke up to it and I didn’t feel like it was real. But now it’s hit me.”

— [email protected] or 256-340-2438.

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