U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) says he's distressed what he calls a "senseless murder" was committed against a citizen of a country that's always been a, quote, "steadfast friend and ally of the United States."
“It is with sadness that I offer my sincere sympathy and send my prayers to the family and friends of Chris Lane as they grieve the loss of a loved individual,” Cole said in a statement. “To our dear friends in Australia, I extend my profound apology for this senseless, brutal crime that sadly occurred in my state and district.”
The Fourth District Republican represents the town of Duncan, where yesterday prosecutors charged two teenage boys with first-degree murder in the random killing of an Australian baseball player as he jogged on a tree-lined road.
A third teenage was charged with being an accessory. Officers say 22-year-old Christopher Lane was shot dead in what Police Chief Dan Ford described as a thrill killing.
Ford said a 17-year-old defendant told officers that the three teenagers were bored and shot Lane for "the fun of it.''
