PHOENIX — Police say a 13-year-old boy is dead after a shooting at a Phoenix apartment complex on Sunday afternoon.
Officers were first called to the scene near 7th Avenue and Mountain View Road around 1:15 p.m. to investigate reports of a stabbing.
When they arrived, they found a boy, later identified as 13-year-old Earlric Reynolds, with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital where he died.
An 18-year-old, Adolfo Villalva, was at the scene and told officers he accidentally shot Reynolds while they were playing with Nerf guns.
Investigators say the pair was reportedly playing with the toy weapons when the 18-year-old pulled out a real gun and “mistakenly fired it” at the younger boy.
Police say the Adolfo and witnesses moved the victim and hid the weapon before police arrived.
Reynolds' mother claimed in court that the shooting "was no accident."
Adolfo's mother, Tammy Villalva, contacted ABC15 and says that this was an accident.
"It was an accident. They weren't supposed to be playing with guns," Tammy said.
The gun used in the shooting belongs to Tammy. She told ABC15 it was in her car.
"I got it out for my protection, I had it in my car. I didn't know which car because I would drive both of them, and I forgot it in that car that day," Tammy said. "I could've stopped it if I would've known better than that before I moved the car."
ABC15 also reached out to the victim's family to understand why they believe it was not an accident but have not heard back yet.
Adolfo was booked into jail on multiple charges including manslaughter, weapons misconduct, and tampering with evidence.
The investigation is ongoing.
