Moment of rage

Teen kills teen with baseball bat after game


By Charles F. Bostwick and Karen Maeshiro, Staff Writers

PALMDALE - A moment of explosive rage after a youth baseball game cost a teenager his life and left this Antelope Valley community in grief and shock Wednesday.
Hundreds of people turned out at twilight Wednesday for a candlelight vigil at the Palmdale PONY League field to mourn the death of 15-year-old Jeremy Rourke. Authorities said he was killed the night before when he was hit twice with a baseball bat after a squabble in the snack bar line.

A 13-year-old pitcher was arrested on suspicion of murder in the death. Witnesses and authorities said he was upset at his undefeated team losing the season's final game and was being teased when he suddenly took the bat and hit Jeremy - first in the knee, then in the head.

Tony Trevino, the coach of the 13-year-old, wondered aloud a day later how such a thing could happen.

"There were adults and other kids around," he said. "What happened? Why was there a breakdown? Who wasn't watching out for our kids?"

Mourners, many in tears, packed a patio outside the snack bar for the memorial despite a bitter wind. Friends spoke about Jeremy, and a family friend read a statement.

Jeremy's family thanked by name his best friends and people who had helped him, noting his love for baseball.

"Keep a close eye on the ones you love and tell them every day you love them."

The family's message said the boy who hit Jeremy "is not a monster. He's a good boy who made a bad mistake."

Officials said Jeremy, a Highland High School freshman and junior umpire, had been watching the game for 13- and 14-year-olds with his father, Brian.

After the game, about 8:30 p.m., he and the 13-year-old got in an altercation in the snack bar line. Sheriff's homicide detectives have not said what the argument was about, but coaches and friends said Jeremy may have cut in front of or been teasing the younger boy.

"What happened was two boys were giving each other the business. There was some teasing going on. One boy lost his composure, got his bat and hit the boy two times, once in the knee, once in the head," Trevino said.

"The boys have known each other for years. That's what so shocking about it."

Jeremy was taken from the field, located next to Palmdale High School, to Antelope Valley Hospital. He was pronounced dead about two hours later.

Jeremy's family spent much of the day secluded at their west Palmdale home where they were interviewed by homicide detectives. They declined to speak to reporters.

Speaking to news media outside the field, PONY League officials declined to discuss specifics of the attack but said all league games will be postponed until at least Friday.

Grief counselors and local pastors were called in Wednesday night before the vigil to talk with youngsters who witnessed the attack.

The 13-year-old, a student at Cactus Intermediate School, is being detained on suspicion of murder at a juvenile facility, sheriff's Sgt. Don Manumaleuna said. Homicide investigators spent spent the day going to the homes of youngsters to talk with them about what they saw.

Manumaleuna said detectives are expected to present their evidence today to prosecutors, who will decide what charges to file.

Under state law, 13-year-olds cannot be tried as adults. The maximum penalty for a minor whose petition of charges is sustained for murder - the equivalent of being found guilty in adult court - is commitment to the California Youth Authority until age 25, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said.

At Highland High, counselors were sent to talk with students, dozens of whom went home early. Scores more talked to counselors. A health class released helium balloons in a tribute to Jeremy.

Teachers were also affected.

"They were all very upset, devastated, overwhelmed by the tragedy," said Principal Stacy Bryant.

At Cactus Intermediate, counseling and psychological services were provided to students.

"There are all sorts of rumors that follow an event like that. We want kids to know what factually happened as much as we know and to counsel kids who have trouble," Palmdale School District Superintendent Jack Gyves said.

"It seemed to be just an altercation between two kids that escalated beyond reason," Gyves said. "It's a very unfortunate episode and we can only commiserate with the family of the young man who was killed, and as well the young man who lost his temper."

Neighbors described Jeremy as a good baseball player who, with his younger brother, rode skateboards off their home's roof. But he also was a boy who got in fights with neighborhood youngsters.

"It's sad. It shouldn't have happened," former baby sitter Debbie Lopez said of Jeremy's death.

"He loved baseball," Rick Scheid, an ex-coach and family friend, said of Jeremy, whom he coached on a team four years ago. "He was a good ballplayer."

Youth baseball participants said the Palmdale PONY League had a good reputation for avoiding trouble among players and parents. Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford said the field was there when his family moved to Palmdale in the 1960s and he never heard of trouble there.

"It's obviously a tragedy that nobody would anticipate something like that occurring," the mayor said. He added: "Our society certainly has changed since I was a boy.

"For something like this to occur was unanticipated and a shock to the community," Ledford said.

Harry Edwards - who ignited the "Revolt of the Black Athlete" at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City - said the killing can be seen as an example of Americans becoming desensitized to violence and other behavior that was formerly unacceptable.

"We are developing an insensitivity to incivility, that increasingly recognizes no bounds as to what we feel we can do if provoked," said Edwards - a consultant to the San Francisco 49ers for the past 20 years, a sociology professor at the University of California at Berkeley for 31 years, and the most noted sports sociologist in recent years.

"You see it in road rage. You see it happening in schools," Edwards said. "You most certainly see it in athletics, both in the stands and on the field."

"If you feel you are sufficiently provoked and you're a basketball player, you go up into the stands. If you are a baseball player ... you throw a chair into the stands," Edwards said.


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Two things here....


First, This little twerp never lost a game.....blame his state of mind on the parents and coaches.......Winning isn't everything, It's the only thing..

Second, Just like in the Columbine case....You have some kid who HAS to tease and make fun of someone until the unthinkable happens.....He was a nice kid, loved baseball and talked a load of smack...instead of keeping his mouth shut and winning gracefully-he had to rub the kids nose in it...



Boys will be boys....