'Where Are They Getting The Guns' Wonders Mother Of Tavarus Williams, Teen Charged With Murdering Another Teen

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A 15-year-old accused of murdering a 17-year-old in Northwest Miami-Dade made his first appearance in court Tuesday.

According to Miami-Dade Police, Tavarus Williams,15, confessed to shooting and killing 17-year-old Cairi McNear on May 4, at a Northwest Miami-Dade apartment building. He is facing one count of second-degree murder.

McNear's mother Aurianna McNear told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "Yes it tears me apart but with his confession, he is going to have to spend a lot of time with his confession. This person they charged is just 15 years old. He's a baby. He is a baby like many of our babies running around the street with guns. But I am not surprised because there are other kids younger than 15 with guns. What I am surprised about is how they are doing it? Where are they getting these guns? Who is selling the guns to them? My heart has a deep black hole. It is not filled with anger. It is not filled with hate. It is not filled with grief. It is filled with sorrow. The news about this arrest is bittersweet."

McNear added, "My hope is that the arrest will bring some type of closure to the child's family and friends. We need to all tighten up on how we are raising our kids and get to know them and what they are doing and bring them together. They need to realize they can talk things out instead of resort to violence. They need more love and more attention and more involvement and something more positive. Yes my heart is not filled with anger and revenge. It is filled with compassion for him. I would like if it is ok in the future when things settle down if I can make contact with him."

In court Tuesday, Williams' mother told the judge she previously planned to move to Georgia with her son on the same day he made his first appearance.

Williams was appointed a public defender by the judge after his mother explained that she would not be able to afford a private attorney.

The arrest report states Williams and McNear were arguing at the apartment complex when the 15-year-old reportedly pulled a gun from his waistband and began shooting. Police reportedly found McNear "lying on the ground within the laundry room corridor of the complex, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds."

When Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived, McNear was pronounced dead.

Investigators said after watching surveillance video and speaking to witnesses, they were able to identify the teen suspect who had taken off from the scene on a mini-bike. He was found in Broward County at an apartment building in Fort Lauderdale and reportedly confessed to the shooting.

"It's heartbreaking to see the life of one of our youths violently taken away before he could fulfill all of his dreams", said Miami-Dade Police Interim Director George A. Perez in a statement. "I am extremely proud of our Homicide investigators' tenacity and the partnership with our community, whose tips were instrumental to identifying and arresting the individual responsible for this murder."

The 15-year-old will remain in secure juvenile detention. The State Attorney's Office told CBS4 News they will review his case before determining if he will be charged as an adult.