August 23, 2010
Aug 22, 2010, 9:48 PM | Updated: Jun 5, 2012, 4:22 am
PHOENIX – You can hear the pride in Lori Milus’s voice when she talks about her son, Jared Olsen.
“When he found something that he liked to do, he gave it 1000 percent,” Milus said.
On Friday, April 28th, 2006, at about 9:30 p.m., Jared and a couple of friends were at home near 37th Avenue and Northern in Phoenix.
Phoenix Police Sergeant Darren Burch says they were playing video games “when they heard some pounding at the door.”
“There was somebody outside yelling they were police,” Burch said. “The next thing you know the subjects are kicking in their door. They rush in and then they began shooting.”
The boys scattered in different directions.
“Jared and his friend Anthony Herrera were both shot,” Burch said. “Unfortunately Jared died as a result of his injuries.”
“(Jared) had fallen down and hid behind a door,” Milus said. “They say he died instantly.”
Milus says Jared was the type of guy who was never shy about showing affection for his family.
“(He) still loved to give his dad and his mom a hug and tell them that he loved them and not hesitate to do that in front of his friends.”
Milus said that Jared loved to stay busy.
“He was very, very involved in skateboarding, to the point where he actually was looking at some sponsorships,” Milus said. “He was very, very much into archery with his grandfather. He won a number of archery contests.”
And he always had time for his favorite movies.
“When he was growing up he would watch ‘Ghostbusters’ over and over and over again,” Milus said.
Milus described her son as a kind boy.
“He was a real gentle soul,” Milus said. “I mean, there wasn’t anybody that was really a stranger to him. And I don’t know if that was part of what got him in trouble or not, but he just seemed to be very trusting.”
Burch says Jared and his buddies weren’t the kind of kids that attracted trouble.
“They’re not bad kids at all, however, they have friends that were involved in marijuana,” Burch said.
“We have absolutely no suspect information other than we know there are at least two White males that went into the home when the shooting began,” Burch said.
Milus says that Jared’s family just want answers.
“We know that there’s people out there that know the answers, and we just want the answers,” Milus said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Silent Witness at (480) WITNESS.
