19-year old Anthony Padilla, an Albuquerque, New Mexico man, accidentally shot and killed his 13-year old cousin while arming himself for protection against the Covid-19 scare.  The boy, Patrick Arroyo, was shot in the torso and pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. 

According to a report of the shooting, “Padilla told police he was taking his shotgun home for protection “due to the coronavirus that was going around” when he pulled the trigger and shot Arroyo. He said he didn’t think the gun was loaded.”  Padilla said, “he had bought the gun months before at a gun shop and had been storing it at his aunt and uncle’s because his mother didn’t allow guns in the house. Padilla said he had shot the gun many times and would always make sure it was unloaded before storing it under his cousin’s bed.”

Although Arroyo’s family and police agreed that the shooting was accidental, Padilla was arrested and charged with “an open count of murder.”

Source:

Mathew Reisen, “Suspect Charged in Fatal Shooting of 13-year-old Cousin,” The Albuquerque Journal (March 20, 2020).