Riley Shearer, an Erie, Pennsylvania high school freshman, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault after unintentionally shooting and killing his 14-year-old girlfriend while waving around a shotgun.  The victim, an eighth grader, was killed by a shotgun blast to the head in a bedroom of a local home.

Shearer, age 16, told police that he was trying to “clear” the gun and that he believed it was safe. According to the criminal complaint, the gun’s owner had previously taken the gun away from Shearer.  The report is unclear why the gun was not then locked up or if authorities believe that the gun owner is responsible for leaving  the shotgun unsecured.

Sources:

Tim Hahn, “Erie Boy, 16, Charged With Aggravated Assault in Fatal Shotgun Shooting of Girlfriend, 14,” GoErie.com (November 2, 2022).