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Feb 4, 2008 3:07 pm US/Eastern
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Cockeysville Teen Charged With Killing His Family
Reporting
Adam May
COCKEYSVILLE, Md. (WJZ/AP) ―
Baltimore County police have charged a 15-year-old boy with shooting his parents and his two younger brothers to death as they slept at their home in Baltimore County.
Adam May reports 15-year-old Nicholas Browning is scheduled to have a bail review Monday in Baltimore County District Court.
Outside of the Browning's home in Cockeysville Sunday, friends left tokens of affection.
"I don't know why he would kill his whole family," said Brook Kelbaugh.
According to police, on Friday night while his family slept, Nicholas Browning took a handgun kept in the house and shot his father John, his mother Tammy, his 13-year-old brother Gregory and 11-year old brother Benjamin.
Then they say he went and spent Friday night and Saturday with some friends.
When he returned home early Saturday evening, a full 24 hours after the murders, he went inside the house and came back out to tell his friends that he found his father dead inside.
Police quickly took Nicholas in for questioning. Early Sunday morning he admitted that he had killed them.
After the slayings, he threw the handgun away in bushes near his house
Police say he had been having some disagreements with his father, but won't say why Nicholas was so upset.
Shocked friends describe him as an honor student and a nice guy.
"It's kinda out of the blue. Like he was never that violent, and I don't know why he staged it. It doesn't sound like him," said a friend.
About 50 people gathered for a candlelight vigil in front of the Browning's house Sunday night.
Resident Mike Thomas said one of his sons had been in Boy Scouts with one of the sons killed. He said his son was devastated when he learned of the deaths.
According to Baltimore County Schools spokesperson Charles Herndon, counselors will be available Monday to meet with students at Dulaney High.
"These people would do anything in the world for you -- just incredible people," Thomas said.
The boy's father, 45-year-old John Browning, was a successful attorney.
The law firm he worked at, Royston, Mueller, McLean & Reid, released this statement:
"It is a sad day...We have lost our law partner, John Browning. John Browning was more than just a law partner. He was our friend of almost 20 years. John was a wonderful man. He and his wife, Tammy, were very much in love. Together they were caring and loving parents to their children. John was also a man of much faith. And he so much enjoyed the outdoors. An accomplished lawyer, John counseled many businesses on a wide array of issues. But he was also a person invested in his family and community. He led his local scout troop. He was a leader at his church. In short, John Browning was a great man. We will all miss him very, very much."
Nicholas Browning has been denied bail. Even if convicted as an adult of first-degree murder, Browning is too young under state law to face the death penalty.
He remains in custody at the Baltimore County Detention Center.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)