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DA: Teen killed minister's son ten days before he was murdered himself

Steven Odom, 13, died steps from his home because a gangbanger mistook him for a rival - ten days before his killer was himself gunned down, officials say.

"Though he will never go to trial, we're taking the unprecedented step of announcing that the evidence we've developed would support his conviction for Steven's homicide," Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley said this morning. "In short, if Charles Bunch, Jr., were alive today, we would be announcing his indictment for first-degree murder."

A second, still breathing, teen, was indicted yesterday in connection with Odom's death, which officials said was part of a beef with a rival gang. Conley said David Johnson, 19, owned the gun Bunch used to end Odom's life:

Shortly before 8:00 p.m. on Oct. 4, Steven Odom was walking home on Evans Street, a short distance from Thetford Ave, with two friends. Bunch drove past them and mistook one of those friends for a Thetford Avenue rival. Bunch called Johnson and told him he needed a gun to "handle" that rival.

As he had on previous occasions ending in violence against Thetford Avenue associates, Johnson provided Bunch with the murder weapon, a .357 Colt Python revolver with the knowledge and shared intent that it be used to kill a rival. Bunch returned to Evans Street, where saw Steven and his friend, and emptied the gun at them.

One of the bullets in that barrage struck Steven in the head, killing just feet from his home.

Conley said Bunch never expressed remorse even after learning he killed an innocent kid. He said Bunch's death remains unsolved but emphasized it had nothing to do with Odom:

The murder of Charles Bunch, Jr., doesn't alleviate the tragedy of Steven Odom's murder -- it compounds it.

Every life has meaning. Every life has value. But the lives of children are especially precious because they hold such promise and potential. I've met Rev. Odom and Ms. Odom many times. I've seen the kind of parents they are, the kind of family Steven had, and I'm certain he would have grown up to be a force for good in his community. We lost much more than a 13-year-old boy. We lost the good man he would have become.

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Comments

According to the Suffolk County DA's office.

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As a former teacher of David Johnson, I would have to say it is a sad day to see him be arrested for such a heinous crime. However, he is innocent until proven guilty. Sadly, David has become a victim of his own environment. I was disturbed to see how he was portrayed on the news, as well as the newspaper. He is a kind soul, whom had so much potential.

My heart goes out to the Odam family, but also to the Johnson family. The retaliation on the Johnson family has been called "an apparent act of gang revenge" Who are we kidding, and when do we plan on taking our streets back? Community-based organizations, police, clergy, and pastors need to come together, as we did in the 1990's to stop the violence before more innocent children are murdered.

Too many of our inner city youth are at-risk due to their environment. When are we as adults going to do something about this? The juvenile justice system faces enormous challenges in dealing these youth. Positive steps must be taken within communities, such as giving families in crisis access to agencies capable of providing a variety of services.

David Johnson is not a lost cause, and neither are any of today's inner city youth. With the help of caring and informed adults, it is possible to turn these youth around before they become another statistic.

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