A 13-year-old boy has been charged with manslaughter, accused of fatally shooting his own cousin, a 17-year-old teenager. Prosecutors brought the charge against the boy, also accusing him of unlawful possession of a firearm. Because he is a minor, his name is not being released. The case has drawn attention because of the ages of those involved and the way it first came to light.
The events trace back to late last month. Police were called to the Willow Crossing Apartments on May 29, responding to a report of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found the victim, a 17-year-old boy, with a gunshot wound to the head. The teenager was in a critical state and needed urgent medical help at the scene.
The wounded teen was rushed to Harborview Medical Center for treatment. Despite the efforts of doctors, he was unable to recover from the severity of his injury. He died a few days later, turning what had already been a serious shooting into a fatal one and leaving the family to grapple with the loss of the 17-year-old.
In the immediate aftermath, the circumstances were not what they later appeared to be. Original reports led officers to believe that the shooting had been a suicide. That initial understanding shaped the early stage of the investigation, and for a time the case was being viewed in that light rather than as one involving another person.
The picture changed days afterward. On May 31, officers received a call from the suspect's mother. She told them that her 13-year-old son was responsible for his cousin's death. According to her account, it had been an accident, and the gun went off while the boy was playing with it. Her call effectively reopened the case and redirected it toward her son.
After that disclosure, the 13-year-old later turned himself in. The decision to surrender placed the boy directly into the hands of authorities as they continued to examine what had happened at the apartments. It set the stage for prosecutors to weigh the evidence and decide how the case against such a young suspect should proceed.
Prosecutors have now formally charged the boy with manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm. Because the suspect is a minor, officials are not naming him publicly. He is expected to enter his plea in the case the following day, marking the next step in a process that began with a death first mistaken for a suicide and now centers on a 13-year-old accused over the loss of his teenage cousin.