Cesar Chavez, 22, has been charged with manslaughter after court documents said that he unlawfully and recklessly caused the death of the young relative by pointing and discharging a firearm.
The Houston Police Department tweeted brief details of an investigation happening at 6000 Velma, which is near the North Beltway-Eastex Freeway interchange.
RELATED: 12-year-old boy killed when shotgun handled by uncle fires, HPD says
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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 the home when it went off and struck the child in his chest.
Charging documents also read that Chavez believed that shotgun was unloaded before it went off.
Officers and firefighters attempted to perform CPR on the boy but were not successful.
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.
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The boy's killing follows a 16-year-old's unrelated shooting death that took place on the same side of Harris County.