BATON ROUGE - Police and prosecutors are alarmed by the increasing number of violent crimes committed by juveniles. District Attorney Hillar Moore states that over the years, teenagers have become more violent, with their crimes shifting from property offenses to shootings. "When you put a weapon i n a child's hand—whether it’s fully automatic or semi-automatic—it makes that five-foot-two kid a giant in the victim's eyes when they have a gun pointed at them," Moore said. Last week, a shooting occurred off Newcastle Avenue, during which a father reported being shot while defending his daughter. BRPD believes the shooter was a juvenile, and those seen in the video with the teen at the time of the incident may also face charges. "We need to identify the individuals involved in the shooting, locate them, and bring them in for questioning, potentially leading to arrests," said L'jean Mckneely, a Public Information Officer for BRPD. That shooting has left Corey Breaux hospitalized for over a week as he works to re-learn how to walk. "It's strengthened my purpose; everything is a struggle, but I'm pushing through because I'm stronger than that," Breaux expressed. Juvenile involvement in violent crimes involving firearms has been on the rise, which both the police department and district attorney's office have noted, calling on families to intervene. "We need to rely on parents and families to take care of their children, to know what their child is doing, to understand if their child has a weapon. Why would your child possess a machine gun conversion device? Who are they associating with? Why are they involved in a gang? Why are they flashing colors? It all starts at home, and this issue is laid at our doorstep as police, district attorneys, judges, and lawyers, but it starts squarely at home." Moore said. Permalink| Comments ...read more read less