Georgia teen who shot parents wanted to read Bible, not do chores

Investigators in Columbus, Georgia say that a 15-year-old boy shot his parents because they asked him to do chores when he wanted to look up a Bible verse for a friend who wanted to be "saved."

In a court hearing on Monday, Detective Amanda Hogan explained that the teen felt he had a mission to find the correct Bible verse for his friend on Thursday. But his parents insisted that he first complete his chores, which included getting an old comforter packed up so that it could be donated to Goodwill, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.

Hogan said that the boy's rage grew overnight, and when he came home from school on Friday, he took a 9mm handgun from his parents nightstand and hid it in his room. After his parents returned from work, their son opened fire. Stepmother Kristi Askevich, 45, was hit in the right wrist. Randal Askevich, the boy's 40-year-old father, was shot in the right hip.

When police arrived, they stayed outside the home because the parents were reportedly still being held at gunpoint. Randal Askevich later got his son to turn over the gun, and Kristi Askevich came outside to explain the situation to police.

Kristi Askevich told police that the boy was on several medications. Both parents were shocked that he had shot them.

Solid Rock Church Pastor Jay Bailey on Tuesday told the Ledger-Enquirer that the boy had a history of "anger issues," but when he was not experiencing those episodes, "He is a very affectionate young man."

"They’re making recovery," Bailey said of the parents. "They’ve got their physical recovery, and then I’m sure there’s going to be the emotional trauma."

"But they have a great attitude, and you know, in my conversations with them, at no point have they ever expressed any disgust or dismay… They are obviously concerned for his well being, and desire that he get the help that he needs.”

At Monday's hearing, Judge Andrew Dodgen ordered that the teen be held at Youth Detention Center without bond. He has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault and and two counts of possessing a firearm while under the age of 18.

It was revealed in court that the boy had been through a Juvenile Drug Court diversion program in 2011.

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