McAlester Family Finding Peace Through Faith After Loss Of Son

A deadly Green Country sleepover ended a 12-year-old boy's life when a friend pointed a pellet gun at Justin Ingle's head and pulled the trigger. Both boys thought the gun was unloaded.

Now, Justin's family in McAlester is coming to grips with the loss of their youngest son.

There was a certain silliness about Justin Ingle that left his parents in constant laughter.

“He was definitely full of life, and everybody that he was around, he was the life of the party, and he was so kind-hearted. He was a good kid,” said Justin's mom, Kristine Norris.

Justin had just turned 12 in June, and like most 6th graders, he was into the typical pre-teen stuff - taking selfies, flirting with girls on Instagram - but mostly he liked skateboarding.

Justin's father, Steve Ingle said, “He was just being persistent about learning his tricks. He'd come and watch YouTube videos, just watch 'em, watch 'em, watch 'em, then go out there and start trying tricks.”

His passion for learning was no different when it came to school. His dad said Justin was a very smart boy.

He was also the youngest of eight, so it's not surprising he was a little on the spoiled side.

“He's our baby. He's definitely mine and his [her husband's] life,” Kristine said.

That life was sucked out of Justin's parents when they had to let go of their little boy Saturday after an accidental shooting left him brain dead.

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“We still had hope, we still didn't want to comprehend what the doctor said,” Steve said.

What's also hard to comprehend is what could have been.

“His voice just started changing and I wonder his voice was gonna be like,” said Steve. “You just wonder what kind of woman he was gonna marry, you wonder how his kids was gonna be, what kind of daddy he was gonna be.”

Unnerving questions that will never be answered, but his parents said they've found peace through their faith.

“Those things that I wonder about can't compare to what Jesus has for him, so just gotta trust in The Lord 'cause he knows what he's doing,” said Steve.

Justin's funeral is Friday at 2:00.

Accounts to help the family with costs have been set up a BancFirst in McAlester and Oklahoma State Bank in Disney.