The Columbus, Ohio, community is calling on the nation to bring attention to the case of 13-year-old Sinzae Reed.
The handling of his death is the latest epitome of a failed justice system and has left many questioning the actions of Columbus police and the Franklin County Prosecutor’s office.
The teenage boy was shot and killed around 5:45 pm on Oct. 12 at the Wedgewood Apartments in the Hilltop. Eyewitnesses told authorities they saw Butler exit his red vehicle and fire his gun multiple times at the young victim. He then fled the scene.
Reed suffered multiple gunshot wounds and received medical aid from responding paramedics. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died less than an hour later at 6:26 p.m.
Krieg Butler, 36, was arrested within 48 hours of Reed’s death and charged with murder. He was held on a $1 million bond. What happened next is mindblowing. His charges were dismissed a few days later because prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss the case in Franklin County Municipal Court after his arrest.
Their reason was that Butler claimed self-defense, and Reed’s autopsy report is not finalized, so there is no forensic evidence about the positioning of his wounds to prove or disprove Butler’s claims.
However, Butler isn’t necessarily in the clear. There is no statute of limitations when it comes to filing a murder charge, which means charges could be refiled at a later date, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Activists have collaborated to bring attention to Reed’s case over the past several days, with some making claims that Butler is affiliated with hate groups. Both local and national activists want a federal investigation.
Authorities are waiting on the official autopsy report, which could take six months. Until then, they do not know how many times Reed was shot and where he was shot on his body.
In his obituary, his family described him as a boy who loved what most teenagers do; music, video games, and hanging with his friends.
