Teh One Who Knocks
06-07-2012, 10:17 PM
By Stephanie Farr - Philadelphia Daily News Staff Writer
http://i.imgur.com/sRIsj.jpg
Believing he was handling an unloaded gun, an 18-year-old accidentally shot himself in the head during a webcam chat early Wednesday when the person on the other end of the conversation challenged the teen's manhood, police said.
To make matters worse, the teen's two brothers one of whom is just 13 were in the room when the shooting occurred, said East Detectives Capt. John Gallagher.
As of Wednesday night, the teen, whom police did not identify, was brain-dead and in extremely critical condition at Temple University Hospital.
"This is a horrible set of accidental circumstances," Gallagher said. "It's just a sad, sad story."
Around 1:15 a.m., the teen was video chatting police believe it was either over Skype or another video chat service called ooVoo with an as-of-yet unidentified person while his brothers were asleep in the room of their Kensington house.
Sometime during the video chat, things went horribly wrong.
"His manhood or his ego was challenged and he said something along the lines of I'll show you,' " Gallagher said. "He thought he was clowning around, trying to shock the other party on the Internet site."
That's when the teen picked up his older brother's gun and, believing it was unloaded, put it to his head and pulled the trigger, police said.
Outside the house Wednesday morning, the mother of the boys sat sobbing as her sons waited in the back of police cruisers to be taken in for questioning.
A neighbor on the block, Cumberland Street near Jasper, was nearly speechless.
"Oh my God, it's so sad. It's so sad. I'm sick to my stomach," the woman said, before rushing down the block to comfort the distraught mother and offer her a sweater on the unseasonably chilly night.
Police said the elder brother listed in news reports as 22 years old had purchased the firearm about a month ago and still had the box for it inside his room. He told police he too believed the gun was unloaded.
Gallagher said the gun was bought at a local store and investigators were heading there to verify whether it was purchased legally.
Police are also trying to determine who was on the other end of the chat when the shooting occurred. They'd like to interview that individual and find out if video was captured.
While the investigation continues, Gallagher said the shooting does appear to be accidental.
"It looks like there's no indication of a suicide attempt, a depressed individual or a struggle," he said.
Gallagher said everyone should treat every gun as if it were loaded and he believes those who purchase firearms should first have to pass a safety training course, something that is not required now under state law.
"I've seen more people under these types of circumstances killed by an unloaded' weapon like this," he said. "My heart bleeds for the family. I'm sure everybody in that household wishes they could take that bullet back."
http://i.imgur.com/sRIsj.jpg
Believing he was handling an unloaded gun, an 18-year-old accidentally shot himself in the head during a webcam chat early Wednesday when the person on the other end of the conversation challenged the teen's manhood, police said.
To make matters worse, the teen's two brothers one of whom is just 13 were in the room when the shooting occurred, said East Detectives Capt. John Gallagher.
As of Wednesday night, the teen, whom police did not identify, was brain-dead and in extremely critical condition at Temple University Hospital.
"This is a horrible set of accidental circumstances," Gallagher said. "It's just a sad, sad story."
Around 1:15 a.m., the teen was video chatting police believe it was either over Skype or another video chat service called ooVoo with an as-of-yet unidentified person while his brothers were asleep in the room of their Kensington house.
Sometime during the video chat, things went horribly wrong.
"His manhood or his ego was challenged and he said something along the lines of I'll show you,' " Gallagher said. "He thought he was clowning around, trying to shock the other party on the Internet site."
That's when the teen picked up his older brother's gun and, believing it was unloaded, put it to his head and pulled the trigger, police said.
Outside the house Wednesday morning, the mother of the boys sat sobbing as her sons waited in the back of police cruisers to be taken in for questioning.
A neighbor on the block, Cumberland Street near Jasper, was nearly speechless.
"Oh my God, it's so sad. It's so sad. I'm sick to my stomach," the woman said, before rushing down the block to comfort the distraught mother and offer her a sweater on the unseasonably chilly night.
Police said the elder brother listed in news reports as 22 years old had purchased the firearm about a month ago and still had the box for it inside his room. He told police he too believed the gun was unloaded.
Gallagher said the gun was bought at a local store and investigators were heading there to verify whether it was purchased legally.
Police are also trying to determine who was on the other end of the chat when the shooting occurred. They'd like to interview that individual and find out if video was captured.
While the investigation continues, Gallagher said the shooting does appear to be accidental.
"It looks like there's no indication of a suicide attempt, a depressed individual or a struggle," he said.
Gallagher said everyone should treat every gun as if it were loaded and he believes those who purchase firearms should first have to pass a safety training course, something that is not required now under state law.
"I've seen more people under these types of circumstances killed by an unloaded' weapon like this," he said. "My heart bleeds for the family. I'm sure everybody in that household wishes they could take that bullet back."