People living in the Atlantic McKinney Ranch Apartments on McKinney Place Drive, off State Highway 121, could only watch in disbelief as police investigate the shooting death of a 10-year-old boy in their complex.
Jimmy Hudson lives at the complex and has kids about the same age as the victim.
"They play with all these kids," Hudson said. "All these kids, they walk to the school that is real close. They are pretty close knit."
McKinney police were called around 11:30 a.m. Friday. They found the boy, identified as Julien Charles Griffen, had been shot in his apartment.
According to police, Julien was transported to Medical City McKinney where he later died.
Officers have arrested Juan Miguel Flores, 17. Flores is charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, a third-degree felony.
Late into the evening police were still combing the crime scene looking for evidence.
"I've seen the K-9 walking around the dumpster obviously or the garbage area and a little bit in the field and road area as well," resident Paul Novik said.
Police detectives were also seen looking in sewer drains, and even climbing into the apartment complex dumpster. Police have not said if they have recovered the gun used in the shooting.
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Neighbors are shocked to know it involves such young people.
"Temporary anger and mental issue people are just not, they don't know the difference between real life and the value of life," Novik said.
Even police find the ages involved in the tragedy troubling.
"I can only imagine that many of our officers are in fact parents of young children so I can only imagine how this is hitting home for many of them right now," McKinney Police Public Information Officer Carla Marion said during a late afternoon news conference.
One father on in the complex said he feels bad for the families involved and will use this time to stress to his children the importance of gun safety.
"It's all about just educating them and letting them know," Hudson said. "Pretty much I want them to stay away from them. I grew up in a not so safe area so I'm kind of against guns anyway."
No arrests have been made at this time.
