13-year-old Brain Dead After Being Unintentionally Shot by Friend

A 13-year-old boy, identified as Chris by his family, was declared brain dead after he was accidentally shot in the back of the head by a friend in a home in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The 13-year-old suspect was found by police hiding nearby with the gun, and was taken into custody. The suspect was known to police, and described as a “frequent runaway who has been known to possess firearms.” Before the shooting, police had been looking for him regarding previous auto burglaries that involved stolen firearms. He faces charges including negligent use of a firearm and possession of a handgun by a minor.

In a statement released by Chris’s heartbroken family, they said that Chris “…asked us to take in a friend who had nowhere else to stay. Because we have always tried to help kids in need, we welcomed him into our home. He was polite and kind to all of us, and we had absolutely no reason to suspect any danger.” After kissing the boys goodnight, the family went to bed to be awakened by “a thud and screaming. We rushed into Chris’s room to find him on the floor, and immediately called 911 to rush him to the hospital.”

Sources:

Destiny Venecia, “Family Heartbroken After 13-year-old Shot by Friend in Apparent Accident,” kfoxtv.com (April 1, 2026).

Natalie Venegas, “13-year-old Declared Brain Dead After Being Shot by Friend in Las Cruces,” kfoxtv.com (April 2, 2026).