12-year-old boy killed when shotgun handled by uncle fires, HPD says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 12-year-old boy is dead and his 22-year-old uncle is being questioned after shots rang out in a northeast Houston neighborhood on Friday night.

The Houston Police Department tweeted brief details of an investigation happening at 6000 Velma, which is near the North Beltway-Eastex Freeway interchange.

The video above is the ABC13 Houston's 24/7 Streaming Channel.

HPD posted photos of patrol vehicles lining a darkened street. When Eyewitness News arrived, family and friends had gathered in front of a home. Some were embracing each other and clearly emotional.

According to HPD Commander Larry Bainbridge, police were told that the 22-year-old was handling a loaded shotgun outside when it fired and hit his nephew. There were other people around. Officers and then firefighters performed CPR on the boy, but he could not be saved. The uncle has been detained.

"We're in the process of finding out exactly what took place," Baimbridge said. "We're getting conflicting statements as to what actually transpired, but that's where we are right now. As far as charges, we don't know if this was accidental or something else. We are waiting for homicide to conduct their investigation and get statements before a decision is made."

The names of those involved have not been released.

Baimbridge provided basic gun safety guidelines. When handling a weapon, always assume it's loaded, he said, never point it at anyone and keep your finger off the trigger.

The boy's killing follows a 16-year-old's unrelated shooting death that took place on the same side of Harris County.

The victim's 18-year-old friend is accused of opening fire on his friend while they were in a wooded area on Thursday in the 18700 block of Imperial Valley, which is just off Rankin Road, and between the North Freeway and the Hardy Toll Road.

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