Tensions in court between family of 3-year-old victim, murder suspect's family

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Tempers flared between the family of murder 15-year-old murder suspect and family of a 3-year-old murder victim.

For the family of 3-year-old murder victim T'Rhigi Craig, it was hard to see 15-year-old murder suspect Christopher Cullins in court Friday morning. They told FOX 5's Portia Bruner he appeared to show no remorse or sympathy for the deadly shooting that left the eighth grader with a murder charge.

"No remorse from him. Not from the family. They were just laughing like it didn't even matter. And one of them even had a baby in their arms. That could have been there baby that day," said the victim’s aunt, who asked not to be identified out of fear for her safety.

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DeKalb County Police believe Cullins grabbed the weapon from his relative's car and open fire at the gas station on Bouldercrest Road where Craig's mother was parked around 11:30 p.m. on Easter Sunday. Police believe the teenager fired in retaliation after a gunman fired paintballs at the team and the people he was with that night. The 3-year-old died after bullets pierced his mother's vehicle stretching the toddler in his car seat. The boy's grandmother, who also asked to withhold her name, said life isn't the same.

"It's just so sad because it doesn't seem right not having him around. He was just such a bright light. It was like he'd been here before and the smile just lit up the room," said the victim's grandmother.

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The Craig's told reporters they are more fearful for their safety after what happened in court during the bond hearing Friday morning.

"As soon as we stepped off the elevator, they were taunting us and saying you can get it too and making those kinds of remarks," the aunt said. "He's a danger to society and they're all a danger to society because they let him live in carry on like this," she added.

Tensions went from bad to worse when the toddler's father and members of the Cullins family locked eyes. Then, as DeKalb County deputies escorted the father out of the courtroom, T'Rhigi's mother became emotional and yelled towards the suspect and his family. Deputies quickly escorted most of the family members out of the courtroom. The DeKalb County Superior Court Judge later denied bond for the teenager, who will be charged as an adult.

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