12-Year-Old California Boy Fatally Shoots Self After Friend Brings Gun To Sleepover

A 12-year-old boy accidentally shot himself to death after a friend brought a gun to his California home during a sleepover Saturday.

Officers with the Chula Vista Police Department responded to a home in Woodland Hills at 9:10 a.m. after receiving reports of a shooting incident. They found a boy lying on the ground near the sidewalk. The victim had a gunshot wound and was bleeding, reported Patch.com.

Paramedics performed life-saving measures on the victim at the scene before rushing him to a local hospital, where he succumbed to injuries.

"The victim has been identified as a 12-year old juvenile. The identity of the victim is still being withheld due to him being a minor," police said in a news release Wednesday.

Initial investigation revealed that the victim had invited a 15-year-old friend home for a sleepover. The teen brought his gun with him and at some point during the sleepover, the victim got access to the gun and accidentally shot himself.

"It appears this subject, identified as a 15-year-old male juvenile, brought a handgun to the house while staying over. Sometime during the sleepover, it appears the victim was given access to the firearm while inside the residence and then accidentally shot himself," police said.

Family members reportedly moved the victim outside, where responding officers found him. As for the teen who furnished the handgun, he was identified and questioned by investigators, according to police. His identity has not been released to the public.

Authorities are investigating how he came into possession of the gun and who the owner of the firearm is.

"The Chula Vista Police Department is currently trying to locate witnesses and potential suspect(s) to this incident. Anyone who may have any information regarding this incident is asked to please contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477," police said further in the news release.

Last month, a 10-year-old boy in Philadelphia fatally shot himself in the chest while playing with his younger sister. The boy was reportedly alone with his sibling when he found the gun. Following the shooting, the girl ran to a neighbor's house to call for help.