A Billings family is reeling after the shooting of their 19-year-old son. Tracy Starr told MTN News on Friday that his son Kane Streitz is clinically brain dead after he was shot late Thursday afternoon on the Billings Rims.
Starr says doctors told him and his wife Heather there’s nothing they could do.
"This freak of an accident of two curious young men cost one his life. The friend has to live with the tragic death of his friend and brother as well. Parents, please pay more attention to your kids and what they are doing at home when you're gone," Starr wrote in a Facebook post Friday.
Billings police are still investigating and say the shooting happened around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday off Highway 3 near Southview Drive and the water tower.
Police say when they arrived, they found a 19-year-old man unconscious with a life-threatening gunshot wound. Authorities say they detained a 19-year-old man for questioning at the scene, but he has since been released, and they are not seeking any other parties involved.
Starr said he recently buried his niece, who died at the hands of another, and now the family is dealing with this.
“Please secure your weapons, guns aren’t toys. Make sure that safety is your priority for your families, as well as the guest in your homes. This tragic accident has changed our lives forever, we don’t hold anything against the friend, we can’t imagine what he is going through at this time. I don’t care how bored you are, keep your hands off guns," Starr wrote on Facebook.
There is a flashlight vigil in memory of Streitz set for 7 p.m. next Tuesday on the Billings Rims. Starr says it will be in the area where his son was shot. They hope to continue to spread the message about gun safety.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help the Starr family; it reads, in part:
Like all kids his age, Kane was trying to navigate his way into adulthood when a tragic accident took his life. His parents Heather and Tracy Starr are staples in our community and are often first to the sides of hurting families suffering similar circumstances. This is a chance for the community to do the same for them. Let's show our support as they make some very hard decisions this morning and begin the process of planning the arrangements for their son.
Click here if you would like to donate.
