Teen accused of firing shotgun at Douglas County deputies to be tried in juvenile court
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said he will appeal the decision to move the case to juvenile court
Updated: 10:30 PM CST Nov 28, 2017
Josh Planos
Alexandra Stone
WEBVTT >-- AS AN ADULT.THERE'S NO ARGUMENT ABOUT WHATHAPPENED ON THIS WATERLOOPROPERTY THE NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER3.TYLER PITZL ATTACKED HIS PARENTSWITH A BASEBALL BAT, THEY CALLED911, DEPUTIES ARRIVED, AND THE18-YEAR-OLD GRABBED A GUN.>> HE SHOT AND HIT AN OFFICER INTHE LINE OF DUTY.DAVID: DOUGLAS COUNTY ATTORNEYDON KLEINE CHARGED PITZL AS ANADULT. THE D.C. WEST HIGH SCHOOLSTUDENT TODAY APOLOGIZING FORHIS ACTIONS THAT HE SAYS HEDOESN'T REMEMBER.>> IT JUST MAKES ME FEELHORRIBLE FOR WHAT I'VE DONE.NO AMOUNT OF APOLOGY CAN REVERSEWHAT I DID.DAVID: COMMENTS CAME AFTER ACOURTROOM VICTORY FOR PITZL.A JUDGE KICKED THE CASE TOJUVENILE COURT AFTER DEFENSEATTORNEY JAMES MARTIN DAVISCALLED AN EXPERT WHO SAYSPITZL'S ACTIONS, AND LACK OFMEMORY, COULD BE CAUSED BY ABRAIN INJURY SUSTAINED ON THEFOOTBALL FIELD.>> THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THEJUVENILE COURTS, NOT JUST TOPUNISH BUT TO LOOK AT THINGS IN, THEIR TOTALITY.DAVID: DAVIS ARGUES THE JUVENILECOURT HAS BETTER RESOURCES FORREHAB.BUT JUVENILE COURT LOSES ALLJURISDICTION WHEN A PERSON TURNS19.FOR PITZL, THAT'S JUST OVER AYEAR AWAY.>> SO BY THE TIME THIS CASE GETSUP TO JUVENILE COURT AND WASADJUDICATED, THERE WOULD BE INEFFECT NO TIME TO WORK WITH THISINDIVIDUAL OR DO WHATEVER THEYNEED TO DO IN JUVENILE COURT.DAVID: KLEINE ARGUES THE CHARGESARE SERIOUS, AND PLANS TO APPEAL
Tyler Pitzl, the teenager accused of firing a shotgun at Douglas County deputies in September, will be tried in juvenile court, a district judge announced Tuesday.Prosecutors said they were frustrated by the decision."It's a most serious charge and doesn't belong in the juvenile court system," Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said. Pitzl spoke to media after the decision, expressing remorse and sadness about the alleged events. "No amount of apology can reverse what I did," Pitzl said, "I'm very grateful for the police and everything that they do. Even though I don't remember it, I am very happy they did show up and stop whatever was happening."Authorities said Pitzl attacked his parents with a baseball bat at their home near 204th and Pacific before firing at deputies, striking one in the hand and arm. The former DC West High School student, football player and wrestler was struck in the stomach area by response fire, officials said. Pitzl was placed on a ventilator, while doctors performed two surgeries, removing a kidney and repairing his colon."In a matter of five minutes, everything went from a normal conversation to him being possessed," Dennis Pitzl, Tyler's father, said. "He wasn't our son anymore. He was possessed."Pitzl's attorney, James Martin Davis, said his client suffered a concussion in a football game the night before the violent incident. "He suffered a neuro-cognitive disorder as a result of a brain injury ... and we've even seen the helmet. The helmet's got big gashes in it," Davis said. Davis said Pitzl did not intend to kill anyone that night. He argued Pitzl will have access to more resources and help through the juvenile court. "That's why we have the juvenile courts, not just to punish, but to look at things in their totality," Davis said, "to determine why it happened and how do we prevent it from happening in the future?" Douglas County Sheriff Tim Dunning called it a "serious life or death case", and said he was unhappy with the decision to move the case to juvenile court. "Overall, it's just a bad message to law enforcement," Sheriff Dunning said, "his case is going to go to juvenile court. Hands will get slapped and his record will be purged and life goes on for him." Kleine said the juvenile court only has jurisdiction until a person turns 19 years old. Pitzl turns 18 in February. For Pitzl and his family, the emotions are different. "Relief," his mother, Gail Pitzl said, "he and I have talked about it. And I'm in no way worried or fearful of him. I just want his brain to get better."
OMAHA, Neb. —
Tyler Pitzl, the teenager accused of firing a shotgun at Douglas County deputies in September, will be tried in juvenile court, a district judge announced Tuesday.
Prosecutors said they were frustrated by the decision.
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"It's a most serious charge and doesn't belong in the juvenile court system," Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said.
Pitzl spoke to media after the decision, expressing remorse and sadness about the alleged events.
"No amount of apology can reverse what I did," Pitzl said, "I'm very grateful for the police and everything that they do. Even though I don't remember it, I am very happy they did show up and stop whatever was happening."
Authorities said Pitzl attacked his parents with a baseball bat at their home near 204th and Pacific before firing at deputies, striking one in the hand and arm. The former DC West High School student, football player and wrestler was struck in the stomach area by response fire, officials said.
Pitzl was placed on a ventilator, while doctors performed two surgeries, removing a kidney and repairing his colon.
"In a matter of five minutes, everything went from a normal conversation to him being possessed," Dennis Pitzl, Tyler's father, said. "He wasn't our son anymore. He was possessed."
Pitzl's attorney, James Martin Davis, said his client suffered a concussion in a football game the night before the violent incident.
"He suffered a neuro-cognitive disorder as a result of a brain injury ... and we've even seen the helmet. The helmet's got big gashes in it," Davis said.
Davis said Pitzl did not intend to kill anyone that night. He argued Pitzl will have access to more resources and help through the juvenile court.
"That's why we have the juvenile courts, not just to punish, but to look at things in their totality," Davis said, "to determine why it happened and how do we prevent it from happening in the future?"
Douglas County Sheriff Tim Dunning called it a "serious life or death case", and said he was unhappy with the decision to move the case to juvenile court.
"Overall, it's just a bad message to law enforcement," Sheriff Dunning said, "his case is going to go to juvenile court. Hands will get slapped and his record will be purged and life goes on for him."
Kleine said the juvenile court only has jurisdiction until a person turns 19 years old. Pitzl turns 18 in February.
For Pitzl and his family, the emotions are different.
"Relief," his mother, Gail Pitzl said, "he and I have talked about it. And I'm in no way worried or fearful of him. I just want his brain to get better."