A 16-year-old boy was killed yesterday when a firearm went off inside a south Fort Worth apartment, turning an ordinary day into a deadly scene in a matter of seconds.
Police say officers were called around 5:17 p.m. to an apartment community in the 6600 block of South Hulen. When they arrived, they found the teen with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was later pronounced dead. According to investigators, two 16-year-olds were inside the unit when the weapon was fired, and the shooting appears to have been accidental.
As reported by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, one of the teens was detained at the scene while homicide detectives were called in to sort out exactly how the gun was handled and what led to the fatal discharge. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office is expected to formally identify the victim and determine the official cause and manner of death. Police have asked anyone who knows anything about what happened to come forward.
Officials are urging tipsters to reach out directly to the Fort Worth Police Department. The agency lists contact numbers and a "Submit a Tip" feature on its website. The department's main line is 817-392-4200, and the non-emergency number is 817-392-4222, according to the Fort Worth Police Department. Investigators said they are still processing the apartment and the surrounding area while homicide detectives follow up on leads.
A wider trend
The shooting adds to a grim national backdrop in which firearms have become a leading killer of U.S. teens, and accidental discharges remain a persistent threat for children and adolescents.
Public-health data show the risks are especially high for older teens. A 2025 review in Injury Epidemiology found that firearms remained the leading cause of death for people aged 0–19 through 2023, with the highest crude death rates among 14–19-year-olds. Community organizations and safety advocates frequently point to secure firearm storage and youth-centered outreach as core tools to keep tragedies like this from repeating.
Investigation continues
The case remains active as detectives work to confirm how the gun was obtained, who handled it, and whether any charges might follow. Homicide investigators will rely on the Medical Examiner's findings to finalize the cause and manner of death, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.
Police have renewed their call for information, asking anyone who may have seen or heard something to contact the department through its online tip portal or by using the non-emergency line. No further details had been released at the time of the report.
