A somber tableau unfolded in Pinellas Park after a 13-year-old boy was taken into custody following the accidental shooting of another 13-year-old boy. The incident occurred while the two were playing video games on a quiet Sunday afternoon. According to ABC Action News, the victim was rushed to a local hospital and is said to be in stable condition.
In what appears to be a jarring breach of safety, the suspect allegedly entered a room rented in his home on 59th Street, where a Glock 44 .22 caliber handgun was found and subsequently hidden in his bedroom. While lacking the intention to enter the room, detectives stated he was not permitted to be there, as relayed by FOX 13 News.
It was during the video game session that the young boy, showing the firearm to the victim, began to play with the weapon. "The gun then accidentally went off and shot the victim in the torso," WFLA News reported. In a moment of panic and confusion following the discharge, the handgun was discarded over a fence by the suspect, which the police later discovered.
Authorities have charged the adolescent with armed burglary, grand theft of a firearm, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, as the boy, after the shooting, tried to dispose of the handgun over a nearby fence. The Pinellas Park Police Department urges the community to keep firearms securely stored, highlighting the importance of gun safety in homes with children after throwing it, although the victim's name remains undisclosed due to their minor status.
