A horrific tragedy unfolded for one family last week when two brothers in Pennsylvania were playing a game of cops and robbers. Thirteen-year-old Brayden Leroy Wright of Waynesboro reportedly shot his 9-year-old brother in the head at around 6 a.m. on July 8.
It's an incredibly disturbing story that leaves a lot of questions, like if Brayden knew what he was doing or if it was an accident. He told police he did know what he was doing and that he knew the gun was loaded when he pointed it at his brother's head and pulled the trigger. After shooting his brother in the head, Brayden placed a 911 call. The ambulance crew arrived and found his brother bleeding from his head and in cardiac arrest. He later died at Waynesboro Hospital.
Now Brayden has been charged with first-degree criminal homicide and second-degree aggravated assault. He was also denied bail. The boy will be tried as an adult.
The incredibly tragic story is hard to imagine, but the details make it even more alarming. Brayden told police he knew what he was doing and that he knew the gun was loaded. He said that he was angry because his brother wasn't listening to him and that's when he put the gun to the back of his brother's head and fired.
Brayden's brother was lying on the couch watching YouTube videos when Brayden shot and killed him. Investigators determined that the boy suffered a contact gunshot wound behind his left ear, meaning the muzzle of the gun was touching the boy's head when it was fired.
After shooting his brother, Brayden put the gun back where he had found it. He then called 911 and reported that someone had fallen. By the time the EMTs arrived on the scene, the 9-year-old was already in unstable condition. He was brought to the hospital, where he died.
Of course, Brayden should have never had access to the gun. And it seems like he was able to get his hands on it all too easily. The boys' father, Matthew Snyder, told officers he kept two loaded 9 mm handguns in an unlocked console of a couch in the living room.
It should go without saying that guns should be kept out of children's reach and should always be locked up. However, that wasn't the case in this situation. It's just more proof that gun owners need to be responsible, because when they aren't, tragedies involving children often unfold.
The 9-year-old boy has not been officially identified by officials. A GoFundMe campaign has been organized by the victim's family. On the page, organizer Kelly Gonzales, an aunt, wrote, "Yesterday forever changed all our lives. We not only lost a 9-year-old precious little boy, but we could potentially lose his 13-year-old brother."
The family is under scrutiny, though, due to the fact that it seems like they didn't try very hard to keep their guns away from their young children. After Kelly started the GoFundMe page, she posted asking for people to keep their criticisms to themselves during this painful time. "Please no rude comments! My family is going through enough. If you do not agree with what the money is used for then don't donate. He is still just a child also," she wrote.
She continued, "So please before you send the horrible, nasty, messages to me just try to understand that they both were sons, nephews, cousins, grandsons, and friends, and we love them both. I stated when I started this that it was for both of them, and if that's wrong then simply just don't donate, adding hurt on top of hurt is not helping."
The family is definitely going to be grieving for a long time. Right now, we don't know what the outcome of the trial will be, or if the parents will be held responsible in any way. Thirteen years old is certainly very young for a minor to be tried as an adult. However, there are a lot of extremes in this case.
The parents of both boys also have three young daughters to take care of in the midst of this unthinkable tragedy. It's truly devastating and should come as a warning to anyone who owns a gun. If there are ever going to be children around at any point in time, guns should always be locked up and out of reach.
