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BSO: Manslaughter Charge For Teen Who Accidently Killed Friend

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COOPER CITY (CBSMiami) – Broward Sheriff's Office deputies said 14-year-old boy is being charged in the death of his friend after he accidentally fired a gun while playing with it in a Cooper City home on Thursday.

BSO detectives combed through a Cooper City home late Thursday evening looking for clues to understand how a teen wound up dead from a gunshot wound in the home's garage.

Investigators were called to the home in the 10000 block of NW 41st Street in Cooper City at around 3 p.m. on Thursday evening for a report of shots fired.

"It's with a real heavy heart that we have this tragedy that a youngster lost his life," said Broward Sheriff Scott Israel. "Our deputies arrived at the scene and we come in contact with three juveniles. One of whom was tragically deceased. It looks like he died of a gunshot wound."

BSO says two of the boys involved are 14 years old and the other is 16.

BSO is not releasing the name or age of the teen who died, nor the relationship between the boys. Israel said detectives made contact with the two boys who were at the home during the shooting.

Crime scene investigators descended on the home and Israel said detectives were investigating whether any adults were at the house when the gun went off.

"If anyone else was there we don't know it at this time," Israel said.

Karen Kriger works in one of the office buildings just a few feet from where the shooting occurred. Deputies evacuated the buildings as a precaution. Kriger arrived after the shooting and was torn up by what happened.

"For something to happen to a child is absolutely devastating," she said. "I feel for the parents, I feel for the community because this isn't that type of place."

CBS4 was told that the boys and their parents spent a large part of the evening speaking to detectives at a BSO station in Cooper City.

The teen charged is facing one count of manslaughter.

It's also coincidental that BSO has been planning to have a firearms safety class next Tuesday in Cooper City.

The class will focus on safety lessons for children ages 11 to 14. It will discuss topics like properly securing firearms and the dangers of guns.

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