TAMPA, Fla. — A teenager has been arrested and charged with manslaughter after a shooting in early January.
According to the Tampa Police Department (TPD), officers were dispatched to a home on East 111th Avenue after receiving a call about a teenager who had been shot on Jan. 8 around 1 p.m.
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When they arrived, they found two boys, 12 and 15, who had been shot.
Police said that a later investigation involving multiple witnesses revealed that one of the children had brought a gun into the house. Multiple children were handling the gun and pointing it at each other "for fun."
Detectives learned that the 14-year-old then picked up the gun and allegedly pointed it at the two victims before firing. The bullet struck the 12-year-old boy in the back of his head before traveling through him and striking the 15-year-old in the mouth.
The 12-year-old victim passed away from his injuries. The 15-year-old was taken to a local hospital.
Police said that the boy who fired the gun at the victims admitted to it and said he believed the gun wasn't loaded when he pointed it at them.
He was arrested on Monday, Jan. 30, and is now facing one count of felony manslaughter with a weapon.
"Had these juveniles not had easy access to guns in the home, a young man would still be alive today," said Interim Police Chief Lee Bercaw. "It is critical for parents, guardians, and gun owners to ensure that firearms are stored in a place that is inaccessible to children, out of sight, and locked at all times."
