A 5-year-old was accidentally shot when a Minnesota teen, 13, fired a gun while making a video to post on social media on Thanksgiving Day. According to Brooklyn Park Police Department, the teen was making a video along with a group of four or five kids during a family gathering Thursday, November 25 on Florida Avenue, while he was handling a gun. Police further noted that at some point the 13-year-old boy shot the gun 'striking the 5-year-old male victim.'
Officers responded to reports of a shooting and found a dead child at the scene. The teen, who accidentally fired the gun has been arrested and is being held at Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center. According to Brooklyn Park Police Deputy Chief Mark Bruley, the teen could face manslaughter charges. The gun owner also stands to face the risk of criminal charges, depending upon how the investigation turns out.
The kids were using the gun to make a social media video
According to a local CBS affiliate, Bruley noted that a group of four to five kids discovered a rifle at the home during a family gathering on Thanksgiving Day and started using it in the garage to make a video for posting on social media. At some point, the gun, which was handled by the 13-year-old teen, went off and killed the 5-year-old kid. "This is a very unfortunate accident that requires a very detailed investigation, which is ongoing right now," he said.
'I am sure it was an accident'
Adults were present at home during the incident but it is unclear who was supervising the kids. The relationship between the teen and the kid is not known at the moment. Burley then requested firearm owners to keep them out of the reach of children. "Lock them up, and lock the ammo up separate," he said. He further added that as adults, it's our obligation to ensure that kids don't have access to firearms. A neighbor told WCCO that she's sure it was an accident. "He is only a kid so now he is losing his life and [a] 5-year-old lost his life," she said.
