A 13-year-old boy in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania will be tried as an adult for fatally shooting his 9-year-old brother in the head. Brayden Leroy Wright is facing charges of first-degree criminal homicide and second-degree aggravated assault. He was also denied bail.
In a police arrest affidavit obtained by the Patriot-News, Brayden shot his brother when they were playing “cops and robbers” last Wednesday.
Cops and Robbers Turned Deadly
Brayden told arresting officer Ericha Polcha that he used one of two loaded handguns their father kept in the living room couch. According to the boys’ father, Mark Synder, he kept the guns loaded and unsecured for “home protection.”
Brayden told Polcha that he was angry his brother “was not complying with his commands” in their game. He held the gun to the back of his brother’s head as he lay on the couch watching YouTube videos. Brayden told police he knew the gun was loaded when he pulled the trigger.
After shooting his brother, Brayden returned the gun to the couch and called 911 and reported a fall. When EMTs arrived, they found his brother bleeding and in cardiac arrest. He was taken to the Waynesboro Hospital but died from his injuries.
The 9-year-old victim wasn’t officially identified but was pictured and referred to as “Jonivan” in a GoFundMe set up by a family member, Kelly Wright. The fundraiser will help the family cover legal fees, funeral expenses, and counseling for the boys’ three sisters.
Wright asked for no rude comments about the family, writing “My family is going through enough…[Brayden] is still just a child also. We appreciate any help and prayers.”
She wrote, “Yesterday forever changed all our lives. We not only lost a 9 yr old precious little boy, but we could potentially loose his 13yr old brother.”
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