Published Saturday, March 06, 2010 12:05 AM

Gang violence up in Austin

Associated Press

AUSTIN -- Authorities have charged an eighth-grader and a 17-year-old with first-degree murder in the death of a 75-year-old woman, in what appears to be an escalation of random gang violence in the city, police said Friday.

Jennie McClusky died Wednesday as a result of injuries she received during a Jan. 25 purse snatching outside an Austin Taco Bell. Investigators say she was struck in the face and fell face down.

Both suspects were in custody, said Sgt. Hector Reveles of the Austin Police Department homicide unit. Bond had been set at $1 million for Jonathan Kelly-Contreras, 17. The 14-year-old student was in a juvenile detention facility awaiting a hearing. The Travis County District Attorney's office said they would seek to try the younger suspect as an adult.

Kelly-Contreras also has been charged with soliciting membership to a criminal street gang.

"It appears that the 14-year-old was committing this act in an effort to join a gang," Reveles said. "We believe the 17-year-old was the person that was encouraging him to do so."

Calls to an attorney believed to be representing Kelly-Contreras were not immediately returned.

With McClusky's death as well as recent drive-by shootings, Austin police say they're increasingly concerned about random gang violence in the city, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

"It was just complete random violence," Cmdr. Chris Noble told the Austin American-Statesman in Friday's editions. "We can't find anything at all to indicate this was targeted."

Friends described McClusky as frail, perhaps not weighing more than 90 pounds.

"She was a sweet lady," friend and neighbor Brett Morris said. "This is as cowardly as you can get."

McClusky's death followed a pair of drive-by shootings Saturday. One man survived being shot in the neck during one of the attacks and has been released from the hospital, authorities said. No one was hurt in the other shooting.

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