Luthersburg, Pennsylvania – A tragic incident unfolded over the weekend in the small community of Luthersburg in Brady Township, Pennsylvania when a 14-year-old boy was charged as an adult with murder in connection to the shooting of a young girl, according to prosecutors on Friday.
The fatal shooting took place on Sunday evening, where Pennsylvania State Police responded to reports of a 12-year-old girl shot by someone with a pistol. The girl was found in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head and was later pronounced dead at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Court papers revealed that the suspected shooter, the 14-year-old boy, had asked the victim if she wanted to see his father’s handgun before pointing it at her and pulling the trigger. The boy’s father mentioned to investigators that he did not believe his son knew where the gun was stored and clarified that he typically kept the firearm’s chamber empty.
The boy now faces charges of third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment as an adult, a decision that prosecutor Ryan Sayers described as difficult but necessary under state law. The two children involved were acquaintances, though not related.
As the investigation unfolds, the boy remains in custody without bond at the county jail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 10. The tragic incident serves as a somber reminder of the importance of gun safety and vigilance, especially when children have access to firearms within the home.