He thought he was smarter than everyone. He thought that because he was only 16, he was untouchable. That he could commit the most vicious act and walk away free. So, he laughed. Laughed at the victim's family as they sat there in tears. But that smile wouldn't last long. Because when the judge spoke, his world fell silent. And in that moment, Nicholas learned the truth. That he would grow old and die behind bars. It was a Sunday night, February 21st, 2011. Around 10:30 p.m., a call came over the radio. A 911 report about a suspicious person near 16th Street and 34th Avenue South. That suspicious person was Nicholas Lindsey, a 16-year-old boy wandering through the neighborhood wearing dark clothes, hood pulled up, and according to police, trying to break into parked cars. Officer David Crawford, a veteran of over 25 years, responded to the call. He spotted Nicholas near a parked car. When the officer pulled up and stepped out to question him, Nicholas turned away, pretending to walk off. But then, he turned back. And in the next few seconds, everything changed. 40B, I got shots fired over here. Shots fired. I got an officer shot. Officer Crawford was struck multiple times at close range. He collapsed near his patrol car. Backup arrived within moments, but it was too late. A man who had served his city for decades was gone in seconds, and the suspect was nowhere to be found. Helicopters circled above. Dozens of officers went door-to-door. Detectives collected surveillance footage, scoured neighborhoods, and followed every lead. By the next morning, they had a description. A young male wearing dark clothes seen running from the scene. And within a day, the trail led straight to Nicholas Lindsey. He was just 16, a 10th-grade dropout who'd been in trouble before for breaking into cars, skipping school, hanging out with older boys on the streets. When police found him, he was quiet. He didn't resist. He didn't fight. He just stared, like he already knew what was coming. Detectives brought Nicholas into the station for questioning. At first, he denied everything. He said he was home that night, that he didn't know anything about a police officer being harmed. But investigators had footage and a tip that placed him in the area minutes before the shooting. After hours of questioning, detectives brought in his parents. His mother sat next to him, her eyes red from crying. His father leaned forward and whispered, asking his son to tell them the truth. Nicholas broke down and whispered, saying he's sorry. He said he didn't mean for it to happen, that the officer scared him, that he panicked, that he just wanted to run away. He then cried harder, telling his parents he just want to go home. But home was no longer an option. It jumped off quick. We know that. But there's a reason why. What Tell us what happened. Tell Tell us, son. Let's Let's do this now. Come on. Let it out. Come on, son. Tell me Tell me [ __ ] Go ahead and let it out. I did it. You did it. You came this far. Come on. When I went to pull it out, it uh Okay. And I wasn't really scared. So, what happened? Tell us what happened. Tell us what happened, son. Tell him, son. Tell him, son. You want me to tell him what you did here? Tell him what you did here. You were scared. You were scared. You didn't want to go to jail. What happened? Tell him. What happened? When I pulled it out, I thought it was on safety, but it wasn't. And I pulled it out on him. I aimed on the chair. And when he started shooting, he missed with the gun. I can't I had to do it cuz I knew what he would do. Why did you pull the gun versus raise your hands? Cuz when I pulled it out, he was already went to He already went to reach in and then Cuz you were Cuz you were pointing Okay. Yeah, when I pulled it out. Okay. How many times did it go off? Yeah, he went It went off the first time. It went off once. Then he went to reaching for his gun. And as he went to reaching for his gun, that's when the aiming got And you shot how many times? How many times did the gun go off? I don't know. I just remember All right. You shot till it was empty? Yes. Nicholas' confession was official. The 16-year-old was charged as an adult. Some said, "He's just a kid." Others said, "He knew exactly what he was doing." Prosecutors filed for the highest charge available. Because of his age, he was not eligible for the death penalty. But the punishment could still be the harshest, life in prison without parole. When Nicholas walked into the courtroom, his face was blank, almost expressionless. Across the room sat Officer Crawford's family, his widow, his daughter, and fellow officers in uniform. Nicholas' defense team tried to make a deal, hoping his age and his confession might earn him leniency. We'll find probable cause and order that you be held in secure detention