A homicide charge has been filed against a 13-year-old Pennsylvania teen who allegedly admitted to authorities that he shot and killed his 5-year-old brother in November after becoming enraged at him for climbing on a bed.
According to WTAE, the event that ended in the death of Connor Wolfe in Penn Hills, outside of Pittsburgh, occurred on November 22, and authorities first suspected the teen's 6-year-old sibling.
PA teen charged with homicide
In a statement released Wednesday, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office said, "What happened in Penn Hills was a purposeful conduct that led in the heartbreaking death of a 5-year-old." A case of criminal homicide cannot be filed directly in juvenile court in Pennsylvania, thus the 13-year-old was prosecuted as an adult."
The suspect, who is also charged with illegally possessing a gun by a child, told authorities on Tuesday that he shot Wolfe after becoming enraged at his siblings for jumping on a bed in their house.
According to the station, the teen went into his father's room to get his father's handgun in order to terrify his siblings. But the 13-year-old stated he thought the safety was on when he pointed the gun at Wolfe and pressed the trigger. Wolfe was hit in the head and died later at a nearby hospital.
According to the Allegheny County District Attorney's office, the teen is being prosecuted as an adult because Pennsylvania law prohibits a child from being charged with criminal homicide in juvenile court. However, the matter will be transferred to juvenile court, and the kid is being housed in a juvenile detention center. He was also charged with being a minor in possession of a firearm, according to court documents.
Around 5:30 pm, police officers from Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, arrived at the residence. According to a criminal complaint acquired by Trib Live, the 5-year-old was discovered on the bedroom floor on November 22. When authorities arrived, the boy's mother was giving CPR and was brought to the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she subsequently died.
The victim's 6-year-old brother was first suspected of pulling the shot, but during police questioning, the 13-year-old apparently acknowledged the fatal shooting. He told authorities he was furious with his brother and sister because they refused to stop jumping on the bed when he urged them to.
In a statement, the Allegheny County District Attorney's office said, "What happened in Penn Hills was a purposeful crime that led to the heartbreaking murder of a 5-year-old."
At a news conference on Wednesday, County Police Inspector Michael Peairs said the department is working with the district attorney's office to determine if the father should face charges for leaving the gun unlocked in the room. He said the father will face "at least one criminal charge" and that both parents were helping with the inquiry, Newsweek via MSN reported.
It was a "tragic incident," according to Peairs, that underlines the need to address gun safety, particularly in households with small children when individuals fail to properly secure their guns. He mentioned that the agency had public-access locking mechanisms.
Peairs disputed that there was any "confusion" over who shot the firearm, claiming that early information indicated that another youngster had fired it, but that information had now altered. He described child-related inquiries as "sensitive," implying that they require time to "get to the truth."
Another case of a teen who shot his brother in Michigan
Meanwhile, investigators say a Michigan teen mistook his younger brother for a deer and shot him with a firearm. According to the Kent County Sheriff's Office, the 12-year-old Kent County kid went into a wooded area in Solon Township north of Cedar Springs to call his brother to supper. He remained hospitalized Wednesday in severe but stable condition, as per NY Post.
Sheriff officials reported the oldest brother, 17, was hunting from a tree stand. Due to their ages, the siblings' identities were not revealed. Sgt. Eric Brunner of Kent County declined to say where or how many times the 12-year-old child was shot, citing an ongoing investigation.
Although there is no indication that the gunshot was done on purpose, Brunner said it is uncertain if the 17-year-old teen would face criminal charges. He added the boys' parents are assisting with the investigation. According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which is also aiding in the inquiry, the firearms deer shooting season continues through January 1, 2022.
Related Article: 7-Year-Old Boy, Three Others Among Dead in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Shooting; Gruesome Crime Discovered After Welfare Check
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