A 13-year-old Pennsylvania boy will be tried as an adult after he shot his 9-year-old brother to death. Brayden Leroy Wright of Waynesboro is said to have shot the younger boy in the head around 6 a.m. on July 8 during a game of cops and robbers. He called 911 shortly after the incident.
- The little boy was watching TV when he was shot. Brayden admitted to police that he was angry at his younger brother for “not complying with his demands” during the game, instead lying on the couch and watching TV. That’s where the 9-year-old was when Brayden took one of his father’s loaded 9mm handguns and shot him in the back of the head, according to The Patriot-News.
- Yes, Brayden knew the gun was loaded when he pulled the trigger. He freely admitted that to authorities when he was arrested. The gun, which was kept in a console in the couch for some reason, was kept by the boys’ father, Mark Snyder, for “home protection.” Both that gun and another in the house are stored loaded and unsecured.
- Brayden put the gun back after he shot his brother. He then called 911 and told the operator that someone had fallen in the house. When the paramedics arrived, they found the 9-year-old boy bleeding and experiencing cardiac arrest. He died soon after at Waynesboro Hospital.
- The family has started a GoFundMe to raise fees. The money will apparently be used for to cover funeral costs for Jonvian as well as counseling for the boys’ three sisters and legal fees for Brayden. “Yesterday forever changed all our lives,” the page said. “We not only lost a 9 yr old precious little boy, but we could potentially lose his 13yr old brother.”
- Brayden faces 25 years to life in prison. Upon his arrest, he was charged with first-degree criminal homicide and second-degree aggravated assault. Those charges are very serious crimes and carry with them a hefty sentence, even possibly life in prison. Brayden is clearly a disturbed child and needs a lot of help, but I’m not sure putting him in prison for the rest of his life will solve anything. This is a really tough one for sure, and incredibly sad.
