A 15-year-old boy was killed as he tried to protect his 5-year-old sister during a break-in last week at their home in Port Charlotte, Fla., the police and his family said. The boy, Khyler Edman, was hailed as a hero by relatives and neighbors.

“It was a senseless crime,” Sheriff Bill Prummell of Charlotte County said at a news conference on Friday.

The sheriff said that around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, the police received reports of burglaries and numerous calls about a suspicious person who appeared to have been stabbed. When they responded, the wounded person initially fled, but was caught about 15 minutes later. A resident identified him as a burglar, the police said.

The suspect, Ryan Clayton Cole, 27, had stab wounds on his hands and side when he was taken into custody, the sheriff said. The police believe that Mr. Cole and Khyler were involved in a violent altercation inside Khyler’s home, and that Khyler succumbed to his injuries.

The police canvassed homes in the area after arresting Mr. Cole and saw signs of forced entry at Khyler’s house, the sheriff said. They discovered his body inside. The police did not release a cause of death.

“It appears that the suspect had broken into this residence, a violent encounter ensued where we believe that the teenager was trying to protect the home and protect their younger sibling,” the sheriff said.

His 5-year-old sister was unharmed. Supporters set up a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses and try to move Khyler’s mother and sister into a new home. One of the organizers wrote on the page that the 5-year-old, who has not been publicly identified, had witnessed the altercation. The family could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, and they have asked for privacy, the police said.

Khyler’s relatives, classmates and friends gathered at an emotional vigil on Sunday night, local news outlets reported.

“When he protected his sister, he became a man that day,” a former classmate told NBC2 News. “Not a lot of people would do that.”

Mr. Cole was charged with theft, burglary and violating parole. Additional charges were pending, in consultation with the local state attorney.

Mr. Cole was a familiar figure to police officers, had a history of drug use and was on probation, the sheriff said. Booking records show he has been arrested more than 20 times since 2011 and has served time on drug and theft charges.

Karen Zraick is a breaking news and general assignment reporter who writes frequently about race, gender and civil rights. She has also worked as an editor on the International desk and in news curation. @karenzraick

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