A 16-year-old boy is on the run from police after reportedly shooting and killing a teenage friend inside their house. Authorities accuse Eric Anthony Krassman Jr. of shooting Darell Love, 16, on Wednesday at a property in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.
Police in Pennsylvania claimed they hurried to the 300 block of 13th Street shortly before 10 p.m. after getting a call from Darell’s mother.
According to CBS News, she was in her bedroom when she heard a ‘loud bang,’ and her son went in bleeding heavily from his head, informing her his friend had shot him.
According to a criminal complaint filed after the event, Krassman dropped a semiautomatic handgun in the living room of the residence and escaped before police arrived. Darell succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.
Krassman is now facing allegations of criminal homicide and minor possession of a firearm. As part of the manhunt, police issued three photos of the teen, who has blonde hair, stands 5 feet 5 inches tall, has blue eyes, and weighs approximately 120 pounds.
They asked the public not to approach him because they suspect he may be armed and dangerous, as reported by the Mirror US.
Jhzmier Haynes, Darell’s grieving friend, has been struggling to accept the unexpected loss of the ‘kind-hearted’ high school student. She told CBS she didn’t believe it was true. I woke up hoping it wasn’t real, and then I realized that Dad had died, which left me hysterical all morning. If you were feeling down, he would always lift you up, as that was the essence of his personality. He was incredibly kind-hearted in everything.
Meanwhile, on a GoFundMe page set up to help with Darell’s funeral expenses, a family member described a devastating turn of events, writing: “Darell Love unexpectedly died due to gun violence. Someone he thought was a friend killed him.”
“Darell was only 16 years old, a sophomore in high school. He was the sweetest soul you would ever meet, always smiling and so respectful. He definitely knew how to make a room light up with his jokes or his laugh. He loved everyone and was loved by everyone. We’re so sad and heartbroken by this thoughtless act against my brother.”
A heartfelt memorial on the Washington Funeral Home’s Facebook page provided touching details about Darell’s life, including his excitement for the holiday season before his sad death. The post stated: “Darell was a 10th-grade student at Beaver Falls High School in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. He enjoyed school and was an excellent student. He liked playing basketball, video games, and listening to music. Although he enjoyed his free time, he had plans to attend Voc-Tech School for Welding in January.
“His family was everything to him, and he looked forward to Christmas and the family get-togethers. The holidays were times when the family, aunts, uncles, cousins, and all relatives from afar would get together to celebrate. It was the time of the year that Darell looked forward to. We know he will be sadly missed and fondly remembered for his young and spontaneous spirit.”