19-year-old shot by 18-year-old friend; shooting being investigated as accidental: HCSO

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A 19-year-old was critically injured in a shooting early Wednesday morning in the Atascocita area, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies say they were called to the home on Spring Brook Pass Drive around 1:30 a.m.

"Officers were able to enter the house and go upstairs and discover there was evidence of some type of crime had taken place," Lt. Roosevelt Berry Jr. said at the scene.

According to investigators, the 19-year-old man was shot in the head in an upstairs room by an 18-year-old. The sheriff's office says two teenage girls told investigators the shooting was accidental and that the 18-year-old is a friend.

Investigators said about eight people were in the home when the shooting happened, including five people who were inside the room where the 19-year-old was shot. The two teenage girls and a woman were in another part of the home, HCSO said.

"At this point, it seems like a tragic accidental discharge," Det. Daniel Kerrigan said in an update. "Not for sure what exactly they were doing. Some of the kids were playing video games... other kids were just kind of hanging around."

The sheriff's office said the woman is the mother of the two girls and another young male, who the victim and 18-year-old suspect were visiting.

Investigators say the woman drove the victim to a nearby 24-hour emergency room before he was then taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Medical Center.

The 18-year-old suspect, who deputies say also rode with the woman, was arrested and taken into custody. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Deputies said they have not recovered the gun used in this shooting, but did find a second stolen gun.