Teen shoots 6-year-old sister: The 6-year-old girl who was shot by her teen brother was identified as Angela Divin of Oakland Park, located in South Florida. Neighbors and authorities suspect that no adults were around when the gunshot went off, and under Florida gun laws, their parents could be charged.
It is unclear if charges will be filed against the 13-year-old brother, who was not named. Police and neighbors suspect that the shooting was an accident.
“The siblings had been home alone when the teen found the handgun,” Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Dani Moschella told the Orlando Sun-Sentinel.
Neighbor Justin Latourrette said “it was strange” that the two did not have “any supervision” when the gun apparently went off over the weekend.
Peter Milano, another neighbor, told NBC Miami that the two were playing hide-and-seek.
The Miami Herald points out that under Florida state law, the parents could be facing a third-degree felony for leaving a loaded gun within reach or access of a minor.
“The problem is children have a fascination with firearms...when they see a firearm they see it on TV and in movies and a lot of times they have toy guns, so when they find a gun they want to see what happens. People tend not to be as cautious as they should be and tragedies happen,” Jon Gutmacher, a gun-law expert and a NRA firearms instructor, told the Herald last month.
Latoutrette told WSVN-TV that paramedics were seen carrying the girl out after the shooting.
“They just carried her out in their hands and you can tell above her chest area she had a hole where she was shot,” Latoutrette told WSVN-TV. “She had blood all over her shirt, her shirt was open, a deep glaze all over her eyes.”
The 13-year-old is reportedly cooperating with authorities.
“The little boy just sat there rocking back and forth. It’s just so devastating,” said another neighbor.
