Ryan Cupp, 18, now faces a murder charge following the death of a 13-year-old boy in Covington, Kentucky. The victim succumbed to injuries sustained in a shooting that occurred on April 24th. Cupp, a student at Simon Kenton High School, initially faced assault charges but turned himself in to authorities two days after the incident. His charges were later elevated after the victim died on May 3rd. A preliminary hearing was held for Cupp on Wednesday, where he appeared visibly emotional.
Details of the Incident Emerge
According to detective testimony presented in court, the 13-year-old was asleep when he was shot. Witnesses told Covington police that Cupp was the shooter, and that Cupp took a gun from the younger teen's pocket before firing. The shell casing found at the scene matched Cupp's 9mm handgun. Court documents indicate that multiple witnesses were present at the home during the shooting. The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was hospitalized in critical condition for several days before his death. Surveillance footage reportedly captured Cupp fleeing the scene.
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Background and Legal Proceedings
Cupp's arrest warrant was issued after the shooting, and he surrendered to Covington police on April 26th. His bond has since been set at $1 million. Authorities have not publicly released the identity of the deceased 13-year-old out of respect for his age. The Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney's office confirmed that Kentucky law distinguishes between different subsections of murder, including intentional murder, which pertains to knowingly causing another person's death. Following the victim's passing, police recommended prosecutors upgrade Cupp's charges. Audio evidence of a phone call between Cupp and his mother, where he allegedly stated, "Mom, I just killed somebody," and later, "Mom, I’m gonna go kill myself," was presented by detectives.
