ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A preliminary investigation determined a 15-year-old boy who was shot and killed in a St. Petersburg home Saturday evening was handling the gun and accidentally shot himself.
“Right around 4:30 p.m., we received a call that someone was injured from a gunshot, and when we arrived, we discovered it was a 15-year-old boy, and rescue took him to the hospital. However, he didn’t survive his wounds,” said Yolanda Fernandez, spokesperson for the St. Pete Police Department.
The shooting happened at a home on 12th Avenue in the Childs Park Neighborhood in St. Petersburg. Police said the teen was visiting a friend's home when the shooting happened.
Investigators said they were trying to figure out who the gun belonged to and what led up to this deadly shooting.
“How it came to be in the home, who had it, how the gunshot was fired,” said Fernandez.
The Pinellas County Medical Examiner will have to confirm the preliminary investigation results from St. Petersburg Police.
St. Pete Police are reminding gun owners to ensure that their guns are locked away and accounted for, especially around children.
“Make sure your gun is secured and that it’s not going to fall into the hands of minors, and it’s important that you have a gunlock or have it in a safe or have it in a secure location where it’s not just lying about that somebody can pick up and harm themselves,” said Fernandez.
