Black Teen James Means Shot and Killed by White Man Who Later Called Him 'Trash'

Black 15-year-old James Means was shot and killed Monday by William Ronald Pulliam, a white man, in Charleston, West Virginia, according to WSBT. After being arrested Tuesday, a criminal complaint states Pulliam told police: "The way I look at it, that's another piece of trash off the street."

Pulliam shot Means twice in the abdomen and left him to die. The complaint said Pulliam would then go on to go home, eat dinner, and go to a friend’s house. According to witnesses, the inciting incident was Means bumping into 62-year-old Pulliam as he walked into the Dollar Store General.

"I don't like it. I mean believe me, I did not want to kill anybody, but they're not going to kill me,” Pulliam told WSBT on Tuesday from South Central Regional Jail. Pulliam said he felt his “life was in danger” when he saw Means and his friends looking at him and laughing. One of the boys cursed at him, said Pulliam, who said things escalated when Means showed off a gun and Means’ friends told him to shoot Pulliam. The situation dissipated, but resumed when Pulliam left the store, which is when Means allegedly came over and taunted Pulliam with the gun.

Police said Pulliam admitted to shooting Means and made the “trash” comment. Pulliam told WSBT he had never made that comment and said the situation had nothing to do with race. The Charleston Gazette-Mailreported Pulliam used a .380 caliber revolver, which he wasn’t even supposed to have because of a domestic violence conviction.

Pulliam has been charged with first degree murder.