Police: 16-Year-Old Boy Accidentally Shoots, Kills Older Brother
BLACKMAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - Police say a 16-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his 21-year-old brother with a handgun that he didn't know was loaded.
Blackman-Leoni Department of Public Safety Deputy Director Jon Johnston said the 911 call came in at around 7:30 p.m. Saturday from a home in the 5000 block of Big Rock Street in Blackman Township, in Jackson County.
Johnston said officers were met by the teen who told them he'd gone into his older brother's room to show him the weapon; and, joking around, asked "Do you feel lucky?" before firing.
"There was some horseplay going on and the 16-year-old advised that he thought the gun was unloaded when he pulled the trigger," Johnston told WWJ Newsradio 950's Beth Fisher.
Johnston said their parents were at the grocery store at the time and the brothers were the only people home. The 21-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene in Jackson County's Blackman Township.
"It's obviously very tragic for the family, but it reiterates the importance of gun safety — and always assume that the firearm is loaded," said Johnston. "(It was) clearly tragic, especially this time of year around the holidays."
Johnston said investigators are working to determine who owned the gun, but it didn't belong to either parent or the brother who was killed.
Johnston said police will "complete an in-depth investigation to determine what actions are appropriate from there." He said the investigation should take a few days.
Names of those involved haven't been released.
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