Mother Looks For Answers After Charges Are Dropped Against Man Who Fatally Shot Her 13-Year-Old Son

A mother in Columbus, Ohio, is questioning why charges were dismissed a week following a white suspect is said to have fatally shot her Black son.

On October 12, 36-year-old Krieg Butler, Sr. had been charged in the death of Sinzae Reed, 13. However, the Franklin County prosecutors dropped the case in municipal court on Oct.19.

“There has been a claim of self-defense,” stated Keith O’Connor, a homicide investigator.

On Dec. 29, Megan Reed, the victim’s mother, expressed her sentiments.

“It has almost been three months, and I haven’t even spoken to the detective. They are all on his side. Kreig is a white man, and a detective is a white man, too,” the mother said.

The mother said that her son was shot and killed subsequent to them having a discussion in their kitchen. Afterwards, she believed that her son had gone to his room. A little while later, a neighbor told her that her son had been shot.

“I didn’t even know he had gone outside. Until the knock at my door telling me he had been shot,” Megan added.

The mother then went to the scene and discovered her son lying in blood due to a gunshot injury.

“Soon as I got over there, everybody was like, ‘Kreig did this. Kreig did this,” Megan remembered.

Documents show that witnesses said that Butler exited his red truck, shot Reed multiple times, got back in his vehicle, and left the location. Butler was apprehended the following day.

In October, prosecutors said that an investigation into the 13-year-old’s death was still taking place.

“Not every case initiated in municipal court is presented to a grand jury. This particular case is still under review for possible presentation to the grand jury, and unfortunately, I cannot advise you when the case will be presented,” an attorney’s statement read.

“A grown man killed a child, and nobody cares. We want to know why he is free,” said the victim’s sister.