ROYSE CITY, Texas — A 16-year-old has been arrested in the shooting death of an 18-year-old high schooler in North Texas that was initially believed to be accidental, police said Friday.
Police responded to the shooting in the 6100 block of County Road 2597 in Royse City Aug. 30. The 18-year-old who was shot was identified by police as Royse City High School student Alexander Villegas. The 911 caller initially told police Villegas had shot himself in the abdomen.
“Initial statements at the scene indicated that the death was the result of an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound; however physical evidence did not support what was first reported,” police said in a statement Friday.
Police executed a search warrant on the home where the shooting happened and interviewed three juveniles who were there at the time, according to a news release.
“It is now alleged that a 16-year-old friend of the victim was negligently handling a firearm when the weapon fired and struck Alexander Villegas,” police said. “The shooting is still believed to be accidental.”
The 16-year-old, who police did not identify, was taken into custody and charged on a complaint of criminally negligent homicide, according to the news release.
No other details were immediately available.
