Man wants justice after teen is set free for attempted armed robbery

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A South Bend man is asking where is the justice? Almost two months ago the man witnessed a 17-year-old gunman trying to steal his friend's moped and now that teen is walking free.  

The whole thing was caught on tape. The video shows the teen walking up to a group of men,  pointed a gun, fired a shot and then pistol-whipped one of the men over the brand new moped. 

Since the attempted armed robbery, the teen has been picked up by police and given a court date.

The teen never showed up for his court date and now there is a warrant is out for his arrest.

ABC 57 News talked to one of the witnesses that starred down the barrel of the gun. He is upset the teen was let go and is now living in fear because of it. 

It was a Sunday afternoon back in April when a home surveillance camera caught a teen walk up, pull out a gun and pointed it right at Tim Gramza, his friend Bertran Skelton and four other friends.

The 17-year-old then demanded the brand new moped parked in Gramza's driveway.

It's a scary moment skelton says he'll never forget, "I thought we are going to die, over a 700 dollar scooter".

Skelton's friend would not give up the scooter and that is when the gunman fired a shot and pistol-whipped him.

Gunfire was exchanged before the teen finally ran off.

Police did not catch up to the gunman until a couple weeks later when he was arrested for resisting officers. Skelton, a witness to the crime, said he finally thought he could breath a sigh of relief.

"I was totally shocked when I saw him driving down the street today and I thought there's the guy that was going to kill me," said Skelton. 

The teen, who hasn't been identified because he is a minor, was given a court date and sent home the same night he was arrested.

Two days later, the 17-year-old never showed up for his hearing and is now wanted again.

"If he is in jail, I don't have to worry. But if he is out of jail, than I am a witness to his crime," said Skelton.

Skelton went to police and the Juvenile  demanding answers..but he was far from satisfied with what they had to say. He learning there was a warrant out for the teen, but other than that there was nothing more that could be done.

"That's not right, just to slap their wrist and let him go so he can do it again and you know he will do it again, he probably already has".

Pete Morgan, the Executive Director at the Juvenile Justice Center confirmed that there was a warrant out for the teen, but could not comment further on the case because he is still a minor.