Police encountered a horrific incident of parenticide when a “monster” teen gunned down the people who birthed and raised him over the weekend.
Teenager commits parenticide in front of cops
Just after 11 PM on Saturday, Rebecca Ann Themelis, 48, called the police, reporting her husband, Christos Byron Themelis, 51, had been shot. More gunshots rang out during the call, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies arrived at the home in Tampa, Florida, they saw Christos Alexander Themelis, 19, and his mother outside.
That’s when the “monster” teen allegedly shot his mother in the back of the head and opened fire on the officers, injuring one deputy.
The responding officers’ body camera footage captured the incident from the point they arrived at the residence.
Deputy Shane McGough, 26, can be heard shouting, “Show me your hands, show me your f****** hands” at Christos.
He begged with Rebecca to leave the house and come towards him, repeatedly instructing the suspect to keep his hands up and not reach behind his back.
“Listen, we don’t want to hurt you, just let your mom walk to us, let her walk to us OK?” he pleaded with the teenager.
Despite McGough’s desperate pleas, Christos went back into the house. He once again urged Rebecca to “walk to me, walk into my flashlight,” but she remained still.
When the suspect reappeared with the gun, McGough told her, “Ma’am get away from him now and come here.”
At that point Christos reportedly fatally shot his mother at point-blank range in front of the deputies, who immediately returned fire.
Deputy shot by teen who committed parenticide
Christos shot back and McGough was hit in the leg. He could be heard shouting, “I’ve been hit,” and requesting a tourniquet in the footage.
Five deputies shot back at the teenage killer, forcing him back inside his parent’s home. According to a press release, a SWAT team was deployed, and deputies used a robot to enter the house.
Sheriff Chad Chronister announced at a news conference, “Unfortunately, the first person we encounter on the ground is the father. The father had succumbed to his injuries.”
As they moved further into the home, they found the body of Christos, who had succumbed to the injuries he received from the hits he took during the gunfire exchange after committing parenticide.
“The monster we encountered this evening is responsible for not only injuring our deputy but also killing his own mother and father,” Chroniser said about the situation.
“Our deputies responded to a chaotic scene and immediately put themselves in harm’s way to protect our community,” he acknowledged. “Without our deputies’ quick and skillful response, an entire neighborhood would have been in danger.”
Deputy McGough was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery to remove the bullet and insert a rod into his leg to help regrow the tibia it fractured upon impact.
He was released from the hospital on Monday and cheered on by fellow deputies as he was wheeled out.
“Today is a day of relief and gratitude as we send Deputy Shane McGough back home. His courage and resilience in the face of such a tragic event exemplify the dedication and bravery of all our deputies,” Chronister said.
“We will continue to support him and his family as he heals and moves forward.”
According to the press release, police had been called to the Tampa home ten times before, mostly for instances related to mental health services and the teen’s violent actions against his parents.
Notably, police had issued active risk protection order against Christos prior to the incident and seized his guns as a result.
Investigators are trying to figure out how the 19-year-old was able to get ahold of the gun he used to kill his parents, despite being classified as “mentally unfit.”
“We don’t know exactly and we may not ever know why he became as violent as he did,” Chronister concluded.
“But we do know inflicting injury or harm on another human being – it never matters what the reason is – it’s never OK. Period.”
