Boy, 16, charged with manslaughter after fatally shooting friend, Clay deputies say

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — A 14-year-old boy was shot and killed by a 16-year-old boy in Middleburg early Thursday morning, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said.

The 16-year-old was “recklessly handling a firearm,” CCSO said in a news release, while the 14-year-old was spending the night at the 16-year-old’s house. The two boys were friends, CCSO said.

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CCSO and Clay County Fire Rescue got the call around 12:16 a.m. about the shooting at a home in the 100 block of Aster Avenue. This is just west of the intersection of Blanding Boulevard and County Road 218.

The 14-year-old was found to have a single gunshot wound. CCSO said he was taken to HCA Orange Park Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

CCSO said the gun did not belong to the adult residents of the home, and deputies are still working to find out how the 16-year-old obtained the gun.

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The 16-year-old was arrested for manslaughter, CCSO said. Action News Jax is not naming the 16-year-old until we learn if he is being charged as an adult.

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact Detective R. Youngblood with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at (904) 264-6512 or via the Safer Watch App: https://alerts.saferwatchapp.com/85838067

Action News Jax’s Ben Ryan is headed to the area to get more information and we will have the latest updates on CBS47 Action News Jax at Noon.

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