Suspect, 15, arrested and charged in deadly shooting of 13-year-old at apartments in SW Houston

Police said Sunday that the teens were playing with the gun inside an apartment at St. James Place on Wanda Lane.
Monday, July 1, 2024
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 15-year-old suspect has been arrested and charged with manslaughter in the deadly shooting of a 13-year-old Sunday morning in southwest Houston.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Teen in custody after another teen dies in accidental shooting in SW Houston, HPD says

Authorities will not be releasing the name or photo of the suspect since he's a juvenile.

The shooting happened at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday at the St. James Place Apartments at 6503 Wanda Ln. near Fondren. Police said that's where they responded to a shooting call and found the 13-year-old unresponsive and with a gunshot wound inside an upstairs apartment.

Paramedics pronounced the teen dead at the scene.

According to investigators, the victim and the suspect were inside the apartment when the suspect fired the gun, wounding the 13-year-old.



The victim's identity is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

The 15-year-old was taken into custody without incident.

Initial reports Sunday stated that the teens were playing with the weapon.

Investigators said one of the teens, who lived there and had the gun, took off from the scene while the other stayed and called 911.



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"The owner of that firearm or the resident at this location, a juvenile male, fled from the location with a firearm. The witness stayed behind and called the police," Lt. Riley with HPD said over the weekend.



ABC13 cameras at the scene caught the moment HPD officers placed handcuffs on the suspect and watched him be placed in the squad car.

The relationship between the teenagers is unclear, police said.

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