About a half-dozen teens were in the basement of a home in the 200 block of Grand Avenue in Akron around 7 p.m. Wednesday night, when police say 15-year-old Arnez Kendrick pulled out a gun.
As he was showing it off, it discharged, striking Kendrick’s 14-year-old friend in the head.
Believing the friend was dead, police say Kendrick then fatally shot himself.
A teen caller told 911 that they were not even supposed to be in the basement.
“The parent didn’t know people were down there and when they found out, and people were getting ready to leave, he shot him on accident and he shot himself,” the caller said.
A teen who was there said he did not know where the gun came from and neither do police.
Lieutenant Rick Edwards said they recovered the weapon, adding it is not unusual for a 15-year-old to carry one.
”Some kids carry guns, so it’s just trying to find out where it actually belongs or who actually had it,” Lt. Edwards said.
Charges are not likely, though some neighbors believe that should not be the case.
“It’s not the kids, it’s the parents,” Walter Stewart said. The kids, they want to play, they might be 15, 16-years-old but they’re still kids.”
Akron schools issued a statement to say they will be sending crisis teams to assist in the schools as long as necessary.