A 13-year-old boy is facing homicide and gun charges in the shooting death of his 5-year-old brother in Penn Hills last month.
The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office released a statement Wednesday morning saying, "What happened in Penn Hills was an intentional act that resulted in the tragic death of a 5-year-old."
"The 13-year-old was charged as an adult because Pennsylvania law does not permit a charge of criminal homicide to be filed directly in juvenile court. He was arraigned by video late last night while still at county police headquarters and immediately taken to a juvenile housing facility. It is our intention to transfer this case to juvenile court forthwith and allow a judge to decide what is the best course of supervision and treatment for this child.”
Inspector Michael Peairs told KDKA Radio's Shelby Cassesse that he anticipates charges coming against one of the parents.
"I wouldn't want to speak for the District Attorney's Office, but we do anticipate that the District Attorney's Office will approve the filing of at least one criminal charge against at least one of the parents." - Peairs said.
Police first believed Connor Wolfe was shot accidentally by a 6-year-old sibling on November 22nd.
But Keegan McGivern was arrested Tuesday after telling police he became angry with his younger brother and sister because they were jumping on a bed, picked up his father's 9mm gun, pointed it at Connor to scare him and pulled the trigger thinking the safety was on.
The teen has a preliminary hearing next month.