Boy who killed father, then drove to school and killed 6-year-old boy when he was 14 apologizes to victims

A school shooter serving a life sentence without parole for killing a six-year-old apologized to victims for the first time in years as he begged a judge to reduce his sentence.

Jesse Osborne was sentenced to life in prison for the 2016 murder of his father, Jeff Osborne, and grade school senior Jacob Hall in a school shooting that began at home and ended at an elementary school in Townville, South Carolina.

A judge sentenced him to an additional 30 years in prison for the attempted murder of three other victims injured in the attack.

On Monday, Osborne was in court and expressed regret over the shooting, apologizing to teachers, students and his family.

“I want to say to my own family: I’m sorry for everything I’ve done. Apologies to the Hall family for everything. Sorry to every child who was in that playground that day, to every child who was in that school that day, to every teacher who was in school that day,” he said.

Osborne’s lawyer asked Judge Lawton McIntosh to reconsider the sentence so that his client – now 21 years old – can have some hope of freedom in his 50s or 60s.

“Give Jesse some hope to live with,” said Frank Eppes, Osborne’s attorney. He added that the judge had not fully considered a psychologist’s report that Osborne was lashing out for assault and that he can be rehabilitated.

However, a number of individuals affected by the shooter’s actions pleaded that Osborne never get out of jail.

A teacher whose class was in the middle of recess, the parent of an injured child, the school principal who saw a bloodstained classroom rug, and the principal of the elementary school all spoke out against the possibility of any parole for the killer.

“I wish Jesse a life where he can wake up, breathe, eat, work, be productive — but not outside the walls of a prison,” said principal Denise Fredericks, who recognized Osborne from his seven years at the school.

“In my opinion, his current punishment is still so, so much more merciful than the one he gave to Jacob and our school family.”

Hall’s chose not to speak in court, but prosecutors said they favor Osborne never being released from prison.

In 2016, hours after his deadly rampage, Osborne tried to explain his actions.

“Last night my dad was nagging me and my mom about not getting paid enough for his chicken coops,” he began.

“And he was right in my face and everything. And when he’s drunk he always says he wants to fight me… and then my mom has to step in and make a fuss too.

“Last night he was just worse than ever. He was just drinking,” he said.

The next morning, Jesse, who was homeschooled and taking online classes, was trying to work when Jeffrey got angry again.

Jacob Hall was six years old when he died from a gunshot wound fired by Osborne in the school shooting

Osborne’s lawyers are fighting for their client’s possibility of parole so he can be free in his 50s or 60s after initially being sentenced to life behind bars

After 14-year-old Osborne fatally shot his abusive father, he kissed his pets goodbye and drove out of the elementary school where he would continue shooting, killing one and wounding three others.

“He got the salary and then he just left. I hadn’t finished my math homework and that made him mad too.

“So that’s when I went into his drawer and loaded his gun,” he said.

Jeffrey then left the house to go to the tax office, the teen said. When his father returned, he opened fire.

The teen told police he was comfortable with the gun because his parents had previously given him permission to use it.

“I shot every gun in the house with my parents,” he said.

After loading the .40 semi-automatic with the wrong, “cheap” ammunition, Jesse said he was going to find Jeffrey to kill him.

At that time, the man had his salary in hand.

“He was reading his bill in his chair. I went in and shot him three times,” Osborne said.

The teen then “ran straight down” to say goodbye to his pets.

“I kissed my rabbit, went back upstairs, kissed all the dogs, and then got in his truck and drove to the school,” he said. He said his rabbit was his “best friend” and that he loved animals “because they can’t hurt you emotionally.”

Despite opening fire on teachers and staff, Jesse said it was not his intention to kill six-year-old Hall and was unaware that anyone had been seriously injured when he gave his interview to police.

“Once I got to school. I shot a teacher once. And then it got stuck. and then I shot again. And it crashed every time. And I thank God for that. Please tell me no one died. Has anyone died?’ he asked after the episode.