A nightmare quickly became reality on Thanksgiving Day last week, when a 13-year-old boy from Minnesota accidentally shot and killed his 5-year-old brother while handling a firearm in a video for a social media post.
News of the horrific incident was reported on Facebook by the Brooklyn Park Police Department. First responders arrived at the Brooklyn Park home after receiving a call telling them a child had been shot in the head.
“The initial investigation has determined that a 13-year-old male in the home was handling a gun,” police stated. “Several other juveniles were present as they were attempting to make a social media video. At some point, the 13-year-old male shot the gun, striking the 5-year-old male victim.”
“Preliminary information leads investigators to believe that the 13-year-old male who fired the weapon accidentally shot the 5-year-old victim,” officers added.
The teenage boy has been arrested and is currently at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center.
WCCO-TV reported the incident occurred just after 10 o’clock Thursday night. Four to five kids accessed a rifle stored in the house and were using it in the garage when tragedy struck.
“This is a very unfortunate accident that requires a very detailed investigation, which is ongoing right now,” BPPD Deputy Chief Mark Bruley told the news outlet.
While adults were present at the time, it is not clear who — if anyone — was supervising the children. Bruley urged parents to securely store their firearms and ammunition in separate places because “it is our obligation to make sure [kids] don’t have access to them.”
The deputy chief went on to say the teenage boy could face a second-degree manslaughter charge. He added that the gun owner could also face criminal charges, pending the completion of the investigation into the shooting.
One neighbor with small children told WCCO-TV she is sympathetic toward the family and even the teenage boy who shot his younger brother.
“I’m sure it’s an accident,” she said. “I’m sure he is freaking out. He is only a kid, so now he is losing his life and [a] 5-year-old lost his life.”
Please be in prayer for the Brooklyn Park family, the 13-year-old boy, and law enforcement officers as they investigate this heartbreaking case.
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