LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. – West Hempfield Township Police arrest a 17-year-old boy in a deadly shooting Friday morning in Mountville.
A 15-year-old West Hempfield Township boy died of a single gunshot. The shooting happened at the older boy’s home on West Main Street, Mountville. Police responded to a 9-1-1 call from the home at 10:45 a.m.
Police determined the older boy stole the firearm from a vehicle at a location in West Hempfield Township.
The investigation is ongoing. At this point, police have found nothing to indicate the shooting was intentional. The two boys were friends and were looking at the gun prior to the shot being fired.
West Hempfield Township police Detective Sergeant Chris Kunkle filed the charges, with approval from First Assistant District Attorney Christopher P. Larsen.
Charges against the boy include Involuntary Manslaughter, Theft from a Vehicle and Drug Paraphernalia, and a felony count of Theft of a Firearm.
Involuntary manslaughter involves a death that results from a reckless or grossly negligent act.
The 17-year-old boy will be prosecuted in the juvenile court system. Under the Juvenile Act, a person charged with involuntary manslaughter can not be charged and prosecuted as an adult.
