12-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot Armed Intruder With Hunting Rifle During Home Invasion

A 12-year-old boy allegedly shot and killed an armed intruder who had physically threatened his mother during an attempted burglary at the family’s home last month.

Brad LeBlanc, 32, was fatally shot at a home near Clinton, Louisiana on June 30, according to the East Feliciana Sheriff's Office, Baton Rouge daily newspaper.

Witnesses alleged that LeBlanc, who was in possession of a handgun, came across a woman outside her property the night of the shooting. A physical struggle ensued, which carried into the woman’s home. The woman’s son drew a hunting rifle and opened fire on LeBlanc, defending his mother, authorities said.

Emergency responders, who arrived on-scene shortly after, attempted life-saving measures. LeBlanc was rushed to Lane Regional Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead by the East Feliciana Parish Coroner. LeBlanc is from Vidalia, Louisiana, investigators said.

Authorities didn’t specify whether LeBlanc knew the mother and child.

Police officials said they didn’t expect the unidentified child would face criminal charges in the deadly residential shooting.

"At this time, the East Feliciana Sheriff’s office has no evidence — whether it be physical evidence at the scene or testimony from witnesses — that would incriminate the 12-year-old, and therefore, at this time, we have no plans to bring charges against the 12-year-old child," Sheriff Jeffrey Travis said, according to the newspaper.

The sheriff added the district attorney’s office would make the final charging decision in the matter. 

The young boy and his mother are now recovering from the incident, authorities said.

“I don’t know what you tell a kid like that,” Travis also told WAFB. “That is such a horrific incident that I tried to put myself in that position this week thinking when my kids were 12-years-old, if they were to have to do that what would I have told them.” 

Law enforcement declined to release additional information related to the shooting.

“The support of the family and the community in the fact that the mother is understanding that he’s going to need some treatment and need to talk to people and helping him understand that he’s a very normal person that was put in an abnormal situation,” said Travis.

Two other individuals were also implicated in the incident. 

Jennifer Nicole Bond, 38, and Jonathan Barker, 25, who allegedly accompanied LeBlanc in the suspected burglary were also later taken into custody and charged in the botched home invasion. 

Barker faces charges of second-degree murder, principal to aggravated burglary, and principal to aggravated kidnapping. Authorities explained the second degree murder charge, saying that his participation in the failed burglary led to LeBlanc’s demise although he wasn’t directly responsible for killing his suspected associate.

Bond is charged with one count of accessory after the fact.

Both Bond and Barker were booked into the East Feliciana Parish Prison on June 30, online jail records show. 

East Feliciana Sheriff Jeffrey Travis didn’t immediately respond to questions surrounding the case when contacted by Oxygen.com on Friday.

The investigation remains open and ongoing, according to officials.