Neighbor charged in fatal shooting of 13-year-old boy in Gary

GARY — A neighbor who suspected that 13-year-old Kobe Jones broke into his home Friday hinted that he would kill the burglar and continued his threats after Kobe was shot to death on his front porch, court records state.

Khanji Fairley, 30, was charged with murder on Monday. He was arrested at his home Friday night, hours after Kobe was shot.

Witnesses said Fairley was angry about the break-in, then he was upset when he thought Kobe was laughing at him for being angry.

When questioned by police, Fairly “gave conflicting accounts of his whereabouts” and the location of his 2013 Chevrolet Camaro, the probable cause affidavit states.

But witnesses told Detective Daryl Gordon that Fairley, of 1064 Polk St., returned home Friday afternoon and discovered that someone had broken into his house. Police had been there earlier, at 12:46 p.m., when the alarm company reported an alert.

Fairley told a neighbor he would offer a reward for information on the suspect but indicated, “he would, ultimately, not need to pay this reward,” the probable cause affidavit states. He then said, “it was the young dude sitting on the porch,” where Kobe was sitting. “I see them laughing over there … I know they did it,” Fairley told this neighbor, the affidavit states.

Shortly before the shooting, witnesses saw Fairley’s gray Camaro drive down the alley behind Kobe’s home, then someone in a hooded sweatshirt ran from the alley to the porch and shot Jones. Witnesses said the shooter had braids similar to Fairley’s, the affidavit states.

Gordon learned that Kobe’s mother spoke to Fairley on Friday afternoon and he said then, “I don’t care about kids … I will spray the whole block up,” the affidavit states.

After the shooting, Fairley returned to the scene and saw people gathered at the teen’s home.

“Why all you gathering out here for? Shoot me … I want my stuff … I know he broke in my house … I want my stuff back before somebody else gets hurt,” the affidavit states.

Fairley was being held without bail at Lake County Jail in Crown Point.

He told police he had been released from jail in Kane County, Illinois, hours before he returned home and discovered the burglary, police said.