In a heart-wrenching incident in northern New Mexico, a father and his teenage son are facing serious criminal charges.
The boy, who is 14 years old, allegedly used his dad's gun to shoot and kill his friend while they were all hanging out at the boy's house.
The father, William Brown, 39, has been charged with allowing the firearm to be accessible to a minor, resulting in death.
The son, whose name has not been disclosed, has been charged with open murder, according to the New Mexico State Police.
The tragic event unfolded on a Friday afternoon at around 2:30 p.m. at Brown's home in Questa. Four young people were gathered there, listening to music and having fun.
But things took a terrible turn when the 14-year-old boy pointed a pistol at a 13-year-old girl and accidentally pulled the trigger, causing her fatal injury.
After the incident, the boy moved his friend's body outside and returned to the house. When Brown arrived shortly after the shooting, a standoff with the police ensued as they both refused to come out of the residence for about 30 minutes.
Eventually, the police arrested the boy on several charges, including first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.
Authorities identified Brown as the owner of the firearms in the house, leading to the charge of negligently allowing a minor access to a firearm resulting in death, under Bennie's Law, a new gun-safety legislation in the state.
This law allows the prosecution of adults who allow minors to access firearms, and if it results in serious injury or death, it becomes a fourth-degree felony with penalties of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
In another news, a teenager has been arrested for fatally shooting his aunt's boyfriend. See more details here
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