SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting and have made an arrest.
Just after 4p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a reported shooting at a home in the 700 block of South Sycamore in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.
At the scene, first responders found 18-year-old Jeremy Retana dead from a gunshot wound to his head.
Investigators learned that a 21-year-old man identified as Christian Concha had shown his gun to a 10-year-old and a 9-year-old who were visiting the home. Concha let each child handle the gun and then he left it loaded and unattended as he left to go to a convenience store along with a woman who was supposed to be baby sitting the boys.
While Concha and the woman were away, the 9-year-old picked up the gun and accidentally discharged it, fatally injuring Retana, according to Stephens.
Police arrested Concha and booked him into jail on requested charges of felony murder and aggravated child endangerment.
"The shooter was a 9-year-old child who cannot be held culpable for a criminal offense," said Stephens. "There is a statute known as felony murder, which can be charged when an individual commits an underlying, inherently dangerous offense and in this case, that offense is aggravated child endangerment by allowing the children to have access to this firearm intentionally," he said.
The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.