Teen arrested after 12-year-old dead from accidental shooting inside West Philadelphia home
A 14-year-old boy was arrested and charged after a 12-year-old boy was shot inside a home in West Philadelphia on Wednesday night, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office said.
The shooting happened on the 800 block of Brooklyn Street, and police received 911 calls about the shooting just before 9:30 p.m., Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
The child was rushed to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia after being shot in the head or neck, according to Small. The child died from his injuries.
"The matter is being handled in the Juvenile Court System, therefore, we are prohibited to give additional details," said First Assistant District Attorney Robert Listenbee of the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.
Police believe the 12-year-old was accidentally shot by a teenage family member, Small said. The person who shot the gun is cooperating with police and was taken into custody, he said.
Homicide detectives are going to investigate the incident, and police found a semiautomatic gun at the scene, Small said. One adult and other children were in the house at the time of the shooting, and everyone will be interviewed about what happened, he said.
"The DAO's C.A.R.E.S. Unit (Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement for Survivors) and the DAO's Victim Services Unit has made outreach to the family and survivors impacted by this very traumatic shooting," Listenbee said. "Gun Violence remains a priority of the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and we will do everything we can to seek appropriate, fair and balanced accountability in the interest of public safety."
