North Carolina – In a heartbreaking case out of North Carolina, three teenage boys have been arrested and charged with first‑degree murder and felony conspiracy for the death of a 13‑year‑old girl, identified as J. Tune, a seventh‑grade student who was shot and killed while walking home with friends just days before Christmas. Authorities say the teens, two aged 16 and one aged 15, ambushed the group from behind a bush and opened fire, striking Tune and leaving her dead at the scene.
The suspects—whose names have not been released due to their ages—are currently being held at the juvenile detention center as the legal process unfolds. One of the teens has already made a first court appearance, while the others are scheduled to appear later this week. Detectives say the confrontation was not accidental and that the boys had planned their actions, which is why felony conspiracy charges were added.
The tragic events occurred around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21, as Tune and a group of friends, including her older sister, were walking home. According to court and police reports, the victim didn’t even know the teenage boys and the group had no interaction with the shooters until moments before the shots rang out. Tune’s 14-year-old sister told media that they were walking along when “they they were shot at by a group of boys from behind a bush.” She described how she tried to help her younger sibling in her final moments, saying, “I held her in her last moments. She didn’t deserve this at all. People are very cruel. Now, I have to live on without my sister.”
Being only 13, Tune had her whole life ahead of her. Police found her suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately called for medical support. EMS arrived and pronounced her dead at the scene. The violence left neighbors and family members stunned in a community that still feels the shock of what happened so close to Christmas. Residents and friends of the Tune family spoke of their deep sorrow in the days after the killing. A friend of the victim’s family described Tune as “a bubbly young lady, always smiling.” Near the site where she was shot, community members have been leaving flowers, balloons, and stuffed animals in her memory. Neighbor J. Rudolph described the scene following the shooting: “I saw her laying over there under the sheet. And, you know, I was consoling the family and showing support with them. So it was kind of rough.”
Family members said Tune was a cheerleader and had bright plans for her young life. Her aunt shared photos of her smiling and full of life—images that now stand in stark contrast to the violent end she met on that Sunday afternoon. Her mother has spoken publicly about the agony of losing her child just days before Christmas. There are presents still under the tree that Tune will never open, and the pain of planning a funeral at a time that should have been joyful has left the family devastated. “I’m heartbroken. I’m devastated at the loss of my daughter and what she had to go through, feeling scared and alone,” the mother told local reporters.
The shooting has also renewed calls from community leaders to address the growing problem of youth gun violence in the area. Local activists and family friends have proposed mentorship programs, including Big Brother Big Sister‑style efforts and support groups for teenage girls, to help prevent other young lives from being cut short in similar ways. “I want to do a mentor program for teenage girls and a Big Brother Big Sister program, for I think they just need more mentorship,” Rudolph said, reflecting a desire for positive change in the aftermath of such a tragedy.
Authorities say the Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Scene Unit continue to investigate the case. “Additional information will be released as it becomes available and appropriate,” law enforcement said. For now, the three teenagers accused of carrying out the shooting remain in custody, and the legal system will determine their fate as the community mourns the loss of a young girl whose life ended far too soon.
