How did you find out
that this had happened on the freeway?
I found out the next day,
actually from a coworker.
And I was like; man, that's terrible.
And then I received a phone call
before my shift ended that day,
probably around 2:00 time frame from the school principal
that had called me and said
that McKayden was being questioned
by a couple of detectives, that I need to get up there.
My first thought was; he was in maybe another incident
that occurred with another individual.
That's the only thing that I could think of.
So you didn't connect the two events when they called you?
Not at all.
So, did you leave your shift and go to school?
I left my shift and went to the school.
When was the first moment that you found out
they were questioning McKayden about
what happened on the overpass?
Yeah, when I got into the room
then they introduced themselves as
their detectives, names, and what the incident was about.
What did they say to you?
They told me that McKayden has just wrote
a statement on paper.
They told me that he was part of the five boys that
were suppose to be the ones involved in the rock throwing.
At that point, did you know that someone had died?
Yes, I did.
Was that on the news that night,
or did you hear it from your friend at work?
Apparently it was on the news that afternoon
because a friend of mine at work had told me
that he had heard about it on the radio,
and then it kind of hit home.
Just as a dad, take me through that moment when
a detective has just told you that your son has just
written a statement about being involved
in an incident where a man was killed.
What went through your mind at that point?
Total devastation.
I didn't know exactly how to register that
right off the bat.
It was powerful, it was hurtful.
I felt really bad for the whole situation.
It's difficult and hard to explain.
Well, try for me.
I mean, this is your son.
To know that just a couple hours prior to this
I heard this form a coworker, and to now,
sitting right next to my son
that is the accused of the situation,
I don't have words to explain that.
Did you read what he had written?
I did read it.
What did it say?
Very little.
I'm not sure if I should talk about that.
But when you read the statement,
it was incriminating?
It was incriminating.
Now, he's 16 and they questioned him
without you being there?
And I had raised that question,
and they told me that it is lawful
and they could do that cause he was 16 years old.
Uh huh.
That he could give a statement
without a parent being present.
Now, there are reports that one of the boys
turned themselves in, is that true?
I heard that, but I'm not positive.
I've also heard that there was a tip on social media
that somebody picked up, had you heard that?
I did.
Did you read what was on social media?
I did not read the tip.
And did they tell you
what he was being charged with?
They kinda left that open at the time.
They said that they had enough evidence
that they were gonna take them down
for the incident that happened on the Dodge Road Bridge.
Did he leave school that day in handcuffs?
Yes, he left school that day in handcuffs.
Along with two other boys?
Two other boys.
So, he's charged with what now,
to your understanding?
They're charged with second degree murder,
and some other charges.
I think there's a total of 10 charges all together.
How did you feel
when you understood that your son was being charged
as an adult with second degree murder?
I never thought in a million years
that I would ever face anything like that.
And especially coming from one of my own.
The whole incident involving somebody dying is devastating.