HATTIESBURG, Mississippi (WDAM) – Taurence Everett is only 14 years old and appeared before a judge in Forrest County for the first time Thursday morning.

He is accused of shooting his father, Thomas Everett, earlier this week.

Taurence Everett is charged with first-degree murder as an adult, which is permissible in Mississippi, according to Forrest County Sheriff Charlie Sims.

“Any crime committed by an adult that carries a life sentence or the death penalty, such as murder, armed robbery or something similar, then a juvenile as young as 13 can be charged as an adult,” Sims said.

Currently, Sims said, there are six juveniles in Forrest County jails who are being charged as adults.

This is a problem that needs to be addressed, Sims said.

“It seems like kids aren’t learning how to defuse a fight anymore,” Sims said. “It used to be a fight. Shake hands and you’re friends again. Now it seems like you have to settle it with a gun.”

In this case, investigators said Thomas Everett picked up his son from school after an incident.

Sims said when the two stopped in front of the house, Taurence Everett pulled a gun out of the car and shot his father twice.

Thanks to the help of witnesses, the teenager was found about a mile away.

“A gun is nothing more than a means to an end,” Sims said. “Children need to learn the sanctity of life, respect for others and how to de-escalate and resolve conflicts. And that certainly cannot be done with a gun.”

Sims said the entire community is needed to reduce violent crime among young people.

“The responsibility for this does not lie with law enforcement itself,” Sims said. “We need families, churches and community groups to try to figure out what is going on.”

Taurence Everett’s bail was set at $250,000 on Thursday. The judge said that if released, he would have to wear an ankle monitor and have no contact with his father’s family.

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