A 12-year-old boy has been charged with murdering professional boxer John Duane VanMeter at his home in South Texas, according to a report from The Dallas Morning News. Authorities said that VanMeter and his girlfriend were at their home in Uvalde when they noticed someone trying to kick in their door. The 24-year-old VanMeter went to the door, at which point he allegedly encountered the unnamed suspect and sustained a single gunshot wound to the head. His girlfriend called 911, and officers discovered VanMeter laying on the floor when they arrived. He was taken to a hospital, and later pronounced dead. Witnesses reported that a man dressed all in black, with a black bandana, was seen sprinting away from the home; authorities later announced that they had apprehended the pre-teen suspect. Tree City Boxing Club, where VanMeter had reportedly boxed for more than 10 years, decried his death in a Facebook post. “We are at a loss for words,” the club wrote. “It’s a sad sad night, not just for Tree City Boxing, but for our entire community. Please keep the VanMeters in your prayers.”
