Teenager charged for allegedly killing mother's attacker

The teen is being charged as a juvenile and it could be reduced based on circumstances.

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with murder for shooting the man who attacked his mother. (Getty Images)

A 15-year-old boy from Virginia who allegedly shot a man attacking his mother has been charged with second-degree murder.

An argument between the mother and her boyfriend, John Conroy Jr., turned violent and Mr Conroy began attacking the woman, the Washington Post reported. That's when the 15-year-old boy picked up a semiautomatic gun in the room and shot Mr Conroy, according to Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Duncan Minton.

The teen's name has not been released since he is being charged as a juvenile. Second-degree murder means that the homicide was intentional, but not premeditated.

Mr Minton said that all homicides in the state of Virginia are initially considered to be second-degree murder, but the charge can go up or down depending on the case.

"Because of the fact that he's a juvenile and because there may have been extenuating circumstances, there is a whole wide range of things that could happen," Mr Minton told the Post.

The boy will have a hearing in Spotsylvania juvenile court inside three weeks, the attorney said.

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