Mall stabbing: Wyoming teenager Robert Maher dies protecting his girlfriend

A 14-year-old US boy was stabbed to death after trying to protect his girlfriend from two teens stalking her through a busy shopping mall.

Robert (Bobby) Maher died at a mall in the Wyoming town of Casper and the two teens have been arrested and face a raft of charges.

The Cowboy State Daily reports that local police officers responded to a call about an unconscious juvenile at the mall and arrived to find desperate shoppers performing CPR on Maher, who did not survive.

An arrest affidavit cited by the paper states that Maher’s friend told police the pair went to the mall after Maher’s girlfriend called him and said two masked males were following her and her friend.

He said they found the girls with the two other boys, who he identified as “JJ” and “Dom” and they tried to get the girls to safety as Maher told the boys repeatedly to leave.

The group then reportedly stepped outside the mall and a physical confrontation kicked off.

“Everything happened so quickly,” the friend told police.

“Dom slammed [Maher] to the ground and then JJ walked up and stabbed [Maher],” he said.

The two 15-year-old boys, Dominique Harris and Jarreth Plunkett, were later arrested nearby.

Shocking video

Casper police obtained video of the incident, which reportedly shows Plunkett and Harris wearing balaclava-style masks as Plunkett advances on Maher, challenging him to fight. The younger boy is seen backing away, putting his hands up and attempting to get back inside the mall before Harris “flanks” Maher, grabbing him and slamming him to the ground before holding him and swinging a punch.

Plunkett then stabs Maher twice before the victim tries again to get back into the mall with the help of his mate, before collapsing.

Plunkett told police that it was Harris who wanted to “start a problem” but made a chilling admission.

He reportedly said that Maher had told him to “put the knife away, this isn’t fair”.

He told cops he replied: “I don’t fight fair.”

‘Freaks’

Harris told police that he and Plunkett had sought out Maher after an incident two weeks ago when Maher allegedly called the pair “freaks” after they were seen entering a port-a-potty together at a public park.

Plunkett claimed they only went into the toilet because it was cold outside.

Seeking revenge, Harris and Plunkett then asked Maher’s girlfriend and friend where he was, asking the friend if he wanted to fight to settle the “blood debt”.

On the day of the killing, the affidavit states the pair stole kitchen knives, Red Bull and candy.

Harris later gave his knife away but Plunkett said he held onto his because he “could not trust anybody”.

Bobby Maher was remembered as an 'amazing kid'.

‘So devastated’

Bobby Maher’s father Robert Maher posted a tribute to his son online, saying he “will never be forgotten”.

“I miss you so much, Daddy was so proud of you and loved you so much so very much! We are so devastated, nothing can bring you back, we love you Bobby,” he wrote.

“My neeners, my Jr, you will never be forgotten! I am dying inside and out right now and will be forever.”

A GoFundMe for the Maher family was launched by friends to help pay funeral costs.

“He has left behind his dad Robert, his mom Mary and his 3 brothers. He was an amazing son, brother, friend and teammate,” Ashlyn Benbo wrote.

“Bobby loved his family and was not only an amazing kid in school but in general. He had such an amazing passion for playing basketball. We are heartbroken and will never be the same without him.”

The charges

Jarreth Plunkett faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault and battery, and theft, the Cowboy State Daily reported.

Dominique Harris faces conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, aggravated assault and battery, and a misdemeanour theft charge.

Both boys remain in custody, with bail set at US$500,000 ($836,000) for Plunkett and US$450,000 ($752,000) for Harris.