PHOENIX, AZ – A casual afternoon play with Nerf guns turned fatal after a 13-year-old boy was shot inadvertently by his playmate in Phoenix on Sunday, says the local police department. Law enforcement was initially called to an apartment complex near 7th Avenue and Mountain View Road about 1:15 p.m. following a reported stabbing having taken place.
Upon their arrival, however, officers found a boy, identified later as Earlric Reynolds, displaying signs of a gunshot injury. After being rushed to the hospital, Reynolds, unfortunately, did not survive the incident.
Submitting to the officers, an 18-year-old male admitted to having accidentally shot the victim while they were engaged in play with Nerf guns. The unfolding narrative reveals that the older teenager drew a real firearm amidst their play with toy weapons, accidentally discharging it at the younger boy, causing the tragic incident.
A further inquiry into the incident led investigators to surmise that the victim’s location was altered and the fatal weapon concealed before officers arrived at the scene.
Now in police custody, the 18-year-old faces multiple serious charges, including manslaughter, weapons misconduct, and tampering with evidence in connection to the tragic accident.
The incident remains under thorough investigation by the Phoenix Police Department.