DECATUR—
Police say three teens tried to break into a home in decatur Tuesday morning. Police also tell WHNT News 19 14 year-old Taveon Mason was shot and killed at the home on 5th Avenue in South Decatur. Police say he and two of his friends were trying to break in.Patricia Mason is the teenager's mother. She expressed feelings about losing her son. Mason also said something does not add up. She feels there was no reason the homeowner should have shot her son. S he thinks something else could have been done.
Decatur Police say the homeowner was asleep inside, and woke up when the teenagers allegedly tried to break into the 5th Avenue home. They say he grabbed a handgun and fired one shot. Investigators say that lethal bullet hit 14 year-old Taveon Mason.
The teenager's mother believes there is more to the story.
"It wasn't just a burglary. That man knows my son, and he knew all the boys that were at his house too," said Patricia Mason.
Patricia Mason says her oldest child often spent nights in the house visiting the homeowner's son. She admits Taveon was not the perfect child by telling WHNT News 19 he had run-ins with police regarding marijuana. Taveon Mason was an Austin High School freshman.
His mom says he was looking forward to joining an ROTC program to get his life back on track.
"That's a great program he was going to be in. He was so excited," added Mason.
The home, where the shooting took place is two blocks away from Brookhaven Middle School. When all of this happened around 10:30 Tuesday morning, the school went on lockdown for about 45 minutes.
"I still can't believe it. I still can't believe it. I still can't believe it," added Mason.
Patricia Mason can see what happened. She just does not know how it happened.
She has several questions.
"Taveon has been over there too many times. How do you know know somebody who has spent a night over your house with your son, and all the stuff. How could you not know him," added Mason.
Patricia Mason wishes things could have ended differently.
"I would have preferred he whoop his butt. Whoop his butt with a belt like he told me he had whooped his son with a belt one time," added Mason.
Police have charged the other two teens with second-degree burglary. They were both taken to the Tennessee Valley Juvenile Detention Center. Police questioned the homeowner, and have not filed any charges in the case.
The Madison County Sheriff's Office is helping Decatur Police with the investigation by using special computer software that allows them to do a three-dimensional rendering of the crime scene.
