Deserae Turner, 15, leaves court after testifying Thursday at the sentencing of one of two teen boys who shot her in the head and left her for dead in a Utah canal.
Deserae Turner, 15, leaves court after testifying Thursday at the sentencing of one of two teen boys who shot her in the head and left her for dead in a Utah canal. Twitter
Deserae Turner, 15, leaves court after testifying Thursday at the sentencing of one of two teen boys who shot her in the head and left her for dead in a Utah canal. Twitter

‘Some days I wish I could give the gun back … and say try again,’ teen tells attacker

February 01, 2018 04:17 PM

Deserae Turner, 15, faced the teen convicted of shooting her in 2017 in court Thursday. She held nothing back.

“Good luck in prison, and remember that because of you, my life is a prison,” Turner told Colter Peterson, 17, at his sentencing hearing in Utah, according to KSL. “Welcome to hell. I have been here for a year now.”

“I hate you,” Turner continued, KUTV reported. “I know the meaning of friendship … I trusted you … You could have talked to me instead of shooting me.”

Turner said Peterson “wanted to kill” and called herself “an easy target.”

Never miss a local story.

Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.

“Some days I wish I could give the gun back to Colter and say ‘try again’ and put me out of my misery,” Turner, who spoke from her wheelchair, told the court, KUTV reported.

Peterson, who was sentenced to 15 years to life for his role in the February 2017 shooting, sobbed as Turner spoke, reported The Salt Lake Tribune.

“I want to pay for what I’ve done,” Peterson told the court. “And I will spend the rest of my life making up for this with the hope that one day I will be forgiven.”

Peterson and Jayzon Decker lured Turner, then 14, to a dry canal in Smithfield, Utah, on Feb. 16, 2017, according to KTVX. Peterson was annoyed by Turner’s frequent Snapchat messages, police said. He shot Turner once in the back of the head, then the teen boys stole cash and electronics from her backpack before leaving her for dead.

Turner spent nine weeks in the hospital, her family told The Salt Lake Tribune. She suffers from partial blindness, paralysis and weakness on the left side of her body.

Peterson pleaded guilty to first-degree felony aggravated attempted murder and second-degree felony robbery in October. Decker pleaded guilty to similar charges in December and faces sentencing next week, the publication reported.

Peterson’s parents earlier in the sentencing hearing asked the judge for clemency, KUTV reported.

“He is a good boy and any parent would be happy to have him as a son,” Peterson’s mother said. “Colter is not an evil person and does have many good qualities about him.”

Judge Kevin Allen told Peterson his actions were “evil and horrific,” reported KTVX.

“However, just as I said evil can be embraced, it can also be abandoned,” he said. “You are young and not so far gone that you are beyond help or redemption.”

Allen had words of praise for Turner, the station reported.

“Deserae, your bravery, wit and even humor in all of this tragedy while testifying today touched my soul,” he said with tears in his eyes, KTVX reported. “Your survival … shows us what true strength and courage really is.”