Police: Teen accidentally shot and killed by another teen

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A prank to scare a 14-year-old boy turned deadly when a teen pulled the trigger on a rifle, police said Wednesday afternoon.

The 14-year-old boy was shot and killed on the city's southeast side Tuesday night, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said, and two other teens were arrested.

The shooting, which police were calling accidental, happened just after 8 p.m. Tuesday in the 5800 block of La Fleur Street.

Police officials said 18-year-old Kevin Edwards brought a rifle to the home and let his 15-year-old step-brother handle it. When 14-year-old Nicholas King knocked on the door, the step-brothers decided to scare him with the gun. But when the door opened, the 15-year-old pulled the trigger, shooting King in the neck.

King died at the scene.

Edwards and the 15-year-old were both arrested. Edwards faces a preliminary charge of criminal recklessness and the 15-year-old boy was preliminarily charged with reckless homicide. 24-Hour News 8 does not identify juveniles unless their case moves to adult court.

Neighbors said King was a Franklin Central student. The school was encouraging parents to talk with their children and reach out to school counselors as needed. Additional counselors have been assigned to the high school in the aftermath of the shooting, the school said in a news release, but the school schedule would not be changed.

According to the Children's Defense Fund, 138 accidental shootings were reported for children and teens under age 20 nationwide in 2009, the most recent year available.

Of those, 66 were among ages 15-19.

Indiana alone saw 25 homicides for children and teens under age 20 in 2009. Figures do not show how many were accidental or specific to the 15-19 age group.

24-Hour News 8 received an email from a man claiming to be King's father.

In the email he says he believes Edwards purchased the gun from Craigslist. Police could not confirm if the rifle was purchased on the popular site.