ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Albuquerque police say a 19-year-old man fatally shot his teenage cousin while retrieving a shotgun he intended to take home for protection amid the coronavirus public health emergency.
Authorities say Anthony Padilla told detectives he recently purchased the gun and was storing it at his cousins’ home because his mother didn’t allow him to have guns at home.
The shooting happened after Padilla said he had been hanging out with his cousins and was preparing to take the gun hone. He told police he pulled the trigger once and nothing happened so he racked the gun and pulled the trigger again. It fired and struck the 13-year-old boy.
Paramedics transported the teen to the hospital, where he was declared dead.
Padilla is facing an open count of murder. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney.
