CAMDEN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — A 12-year-old and a 16-year-old have been charged in the shooting death of a Camden teenager.
According to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, several kids were hanging out at a home on Thorn Street on June 6 when a 12-year-old girl accidentally shot and killed 16-year-old Xyere Brooks.
Authorities said another 16-year-old boy from Camden brought the gun into the home.
At some point, the 12-year-old girl, from Wilmington, Delaware, picked up the gun. Investigators said she was handling it recklessly when a shot was fired, striking Brooks.
The 12-year-old is now facing charges of second-degree manslaughter and unlawful possession of a weapon. The 16-year-old alleged to have brought the gun to the home is also charged with unlawful possession.
Both were released from custody with conditions and are scheduled for a court appearance on July 23.