I think the article said he was beaten to death, not shot. I feel very sorry for Shane and his parents, and I worry about my own sons. But, I don't see it as a smoker's issue. Rather, I see it as an issue of violence between children.
Kids are taught all the time in school that smoking is bad and smokers are EVIL! So, I see this as a hate crime against Shane because of cigarettes.
The murderer accused the victim of providing cigarettes to his younger brother; and offered this as justification for beating Shane to death.
He obviously thought that he would have support for his action, since the universal demonization of smokers has been so successful.