"He Shot me on Purpose": 9yo Drops Bombshell After 10yo Bestie Blasts Him in Playdate Bloodbath| Crime Alert 6AM 01.22.2026

Summary

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Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: “He Shot Me on Purpose”: 9yo Drops Bombshell After 10yo Bestie Blasts Him in Playdate Bloodbath
Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Nancy Grace
Contributors: Jennifer Gould

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Episode Overview

This Crime Alert episode presents three harrowing cases involving youth and gun violence. Nancy Grace spotlights the shocking shooting of a 9-year-old by his best friend, newly uncovered details about a notorious North Carolina teen gunman, and a father's difficult decision to turn in his own son following a violent crime. The episode aims to interrogate systemic failures, advocate for child safety, and highlight human choices on justice and responsibility.

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Key Segments & Insights

1. Playdate Turns Violent: 9-Year-Old Claims He Was Shot On Purpose

[00:00 – 03:11]

• Incident Summary:

  • 9-year-old Trae Michael Ledguise was critically wounded during a playdate in Alexandria, Louisiana, after a 10-year-old friend shot him.
  • The incident, at first seen as an accident, was recast as intentional violence after Trae’s shocking statement to his mother post-surgery.
  • Family details reveal Trae suffered catastrophic injuries, losing a kidney, half a lung, and severe intestinal damage.

• Transformative Testimony:

  • Upon regaining consciousness, Trae immediately accused his friend of deliberate harm.
  • Quote:
    • “When the tube first came out his mouth and he was able to talk, the first word was me Mama. Mama. He shot me on purpose.”
      — Lakeisha Lagergis (Trae’s mother), [01:21]

• Legal Fallout & Community Impact:

  • The unnamed 10-year-old was arrested for aggravated second-degree battery and juvenile possession of a firearm.
  • Ongoing investigation into how a child accessed a loaded gun—rumored link to a suspect family member, with no adults yet charged.
  • Lakeisha Lagergis became a vocal gun safety advocate:
    • Begging, “Parents to take the guns away before another kid is mangled by unsecured weapons.” [Jennifer Gould summary at 01:30]

• Memorable Analysis:

  • “The resilient survivor is back home, but his body remains a roadmap of the trauma he endured.”
    — Jennifer Gould [01:30]

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2. Guilty Plea in Raleigh Teenage Massacre Case

[03:20 – 06:14]

• Case Recap:

  • Austin Thompson, now 18, pleaded guilty to a 2022 mass shooting in Raleigh, NC, that claimed five lives and wounded several others.
  • Attack began with the execution of his own brother, escalating to the killings of neighbors and an off-duty police officer.

• Victim’s Family Speaks Out:

  • Quote:
    • “That young man took the best person I had ever met away from me. I don't care why, but I want to...look him in the face when he faces justice.”
      — Robert Steele (fiancé of victim) [03:55]

• Guilty Plea Dynamics:

  • Austin Thompson’s guilty plea brings the case directly to sentencing.
  • Lawyers cite defendant’s severe brain damage from a self-inflicted gunshot, noting he “accepts full responsibility for the deep pain he caused.”
    — [Jennifer Gould quoting court filing, 05:28]

• Legal Consequences:

  • Thompson faces life without parole due to juvenile status at crime time (not eligible for the death penalty).
  • His father, Alan Thompson, previously pled guilty for negligent firearm storage—leaving unanswered questions about motive and accountability for gun access.

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3. Tough Love in Georgia: Father Turns In Son Amid Shooting Spree

[06:14 – 07:13]

• Incident Details:

  • In Lovejoy, Georgia, Laquan Stevens, 16, faced arrest after his father turned him in following a shooting. Stevens had shot another teen through a car window and was involved in a secondary shooting spree.

• Noteworthy Parental Decision:

  • The father refused to shelter his son, instead alerting authorities.

  • Quote:

    • “Dad's house is not a safe house for suspects.”
      — Jennifer Gould [06:35]

  • Commentary:

    • “This dad chose justice over a jailhouse, proving that sometimes the most inspiring act of love is tough love.” — Jennifer Gould [06:55]

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Trae’s First Words Post-Surgery:
  “Mama. He shot me on purpose.” — Lakeisha Lagergis, [01:21]

• Victim's Family Grief:
  “That young man took the best person I had ever met away from me. I don't care why, but I want to...look him in the face when he faces justice.” — Robert Steele, [03:55]

• Parent’s Tough Decision:
  “Dad's house is not a safe house for suspects.” — Jennifer Gould, [06:35]
  “This dad chose justice over a jailhouse, proving that sometimes the most inspiring act of love is tough love.” — Jennifer Gould, [06:55]

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Conclusion

Nancy Grace’s succinct, punchy Crime Alert delivers a harrowing portrait of children both as victims and perpetrators—and families grappling with unimaginable decisions. With expert commentary and community voices, the episode critically examines the intersections of gun access, juvenile crime, accountability, and parental responsibility, urging listeners to confront uncomfortable truths about youth and violence in America.

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Transcript

[Nancy Grace]

Crime Alert, I'm Nancy Grace. Breaking crime news now. Mama, he shot me on purpose. A startling claim from a 9 year old Trae Michael Ledguise and a 10 year old friend playing when shots ring out. Family says Trae Michael lost his right kidney, half his left lung and his intestines were shattered by the bullet. The unnamed 10 year old friend arrested.

For AG battery and GV in possession of a gun.

Jennifer Gould has the details.

[Jennifer Gould]

Nancy A routine play date in Alexandria, Louisiana exploded into a scene of unthinkable violence when that 10 year old boy allegedly pointed a handgun at his 9 year old friend and pulled the trigger, leaving the child with life altering internal carnage. The shooting on Chester street was initially written off by authorities as a tragic mishap between two children handling a firearm. However, the narrative took a sharp sinister turn when the victim, Trae Michael, had his breathing tube removed. In his first moments of consciousness, the boy gasped out a bombshell accusation to his mom, Lakeisha Lagergis. She she spoke to KALB News 5.

[Lakeisha Lagergis]

When the tube first came out his mouth and he was able to talk, the first word was me Mama. Mama. He shot me on purpose.

[Jennifer Gould]

The sheer force of the bullet shattered TRA Michael's intestines, forcing surgeons to perform a brutal triage that included removing his right kidney and half of his lung. As of late January, the resilient survivor is back home, but his body remains a roadmap of the trauma he endured. Legurgis, who rushed to the hospital in a blind panic, has now since become a vocal advocate for gun safety, begging parents to take the guns away before another kid is mangled by unsecured weapons. The 10 year old suspect, whose name is shielded by juvenile law, was hauled off to the Renaissance Home for Youth after detectives determined the shooting was a calculated act of battery. He faces charges of aggravated second degree battery and juvenile possession of a handgun while the boy sits in detention. Though a major question remains. How did a 10 year old gain access to a loaded weapon? Rumors within the community suggest the gun belonged to a family member of the suspect, but no adults have yet been charged for the negligence that allowed this playdate to turn into a firing squad. The investigation continues. For the latest crime and justice news, follow Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on your favorite podcast app. You can also watch crime stories on Fox One and YouTube and of course follow the Crime Alert hourly update wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Nancy Grace]

Nancy thanks Jennifer. More crime and justice news after this.

[Jennifer Gould]

A cold blooded teenage gunman who turned a quiet North Carolina neighborhood into a suburban slaughterhouse has finally surrendered his fight in court. Austin Thompson, the now 18 year old accused of a 2022 shooting spree that left five people dead and a community shattered, filed a bombshell notice of a plea flip that he is guilty of all charges. Robert Steele's fiance was among those killed. He spoke to WRAL News.

[Robert Steele]

That young man took the best person I had ever met away from me. I don't care why, but I want to. I want to look him in the face when he faces justice.

[Jennifer Gould]

The move bypasses a February trial and sends the case straight to a sentencing phase where Thompson faces life behind bars.

[Narrator/Reporter]

For the carnage he unleashed in Raleigh, North Carolina.

[Jennifer Gould]

The massacre began on October 13, 2022 when a then 15 year old Thompson donned camouflage and allegedly executed his own 16 year old brother James Thompson inside.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Their Saheli way home.

[Jennifer Gould]

Armed with a shotgun and handgun, he then stalked the Hendingham neighborhood and Neuse River Greenway, picking off victims who never saw him coming. The fallen include off duty Raleigh police officer Gabriel Torres, 29, who was shot in his car Mary Marshall, 34, killed while walking her dog Nicole Connors, 52, gunned down on her porch and Susan Karnatz, 49, who was murdered while out for a jog. Thompson was eventually cornered in a barn after a five hour standoff, suffering from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head that left him with permanent severe brain injury. In a three page court filing, Thompson's.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Attorneys admitted that while the teen's brain.

[Jennifer Gould]

Damage leaves him unable to explain his homicidal motives, he accepts full responsibility for the quote unquote deep pain he caused. Thompson faces five counts of murder and.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Multiple counts of attempted murder for the wounding of Marcil Lynn Gardner and Officer Casey Clark.

[Jennifer Gould]

Because he was a juvenile at the.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Time of the killings, he is ineligible for the death penalty under state law, but is staring down the barrel of.

[Jennifer Gould]

Life without parole for the teen's father. Alan Thompson has already pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges for the negligent storage of.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The firearms used in the bloodbath. His motive remains unknown.

[Jennifer Gould]

And finally, talk about a parenting masterclass.

[Narrator/Reporter]

In doing the right thing. In Lovejoy, Georgia, Laquan Stevens, 16, found out that blood isn't thicker than the law. In the ultimate reality check, the teen's dad made the heartbreaking choice to turn him in after a two day manhunt.

[Jennifer Gould]

An amazing parental pivot to school his son. Dad's house is not a safe house for suspects. Stevens is accused of blasting another kid in the face and neck through a car window, plus a second separate shooting spree. While the teen tried to play hide and seek with the gbi, his father decided to play by the rules, which meant calling the precinct instead of enabling a fugitive. This dad chose justice over a jailhouse, proving that sometimes the most inspiring act of love is tough love.

[Nancy Grace]

Nancy for the latest crime and justice news, go to crimeonline.com and please join us for our daily podcast, Crime Stories, where we do our best to find missing people, especially children, and help solve unsolved homicides with this crime alert. I'm Nancy Grace.

[Podcast Host]

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