DETROIT – A 13-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the shooting that left his 12-year-old cousin dead in Detroit, officials said.
The shooting happened around 9:05 p.m. Tuesday (July 19) at a home in the 11300 block of Bramell Street on the west side of Rouge Park, according to authorities.
When they got to the home, officers said they found a 12-year-old boy in the basement with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.
Police said the child’s 13-year-old cousin had been playing with a firearm when it discharged. The bullet struck the 12-year-old in the chest, fatally injuring him, according to officials.
“Once again, we’ve got a child shot,” Detroit police Chief James White said. “This one is fatally wounded playing with guns, and it’s troubling and frustrating. If you’re going to have a gun in your home, you have to do so responsibly. Once you bring a gun home, everything changes. You can’t have guns around kids and be upstairs sleeping.”
The 13-year-old has been charged as a juvenile with one count of manslaughter.
A preliminary hearing was held Wednesday afternoon, and a pre-trial hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Aug. 16.
Officials said Tuesday that an adult had been taken from the home for questioning.