Teen Boy Shoots Himself and Dies Playing with Firearm

ABILENE, TX — Friday evening a 14-year-old boy was killed by a gunshot to his head. Abilene police believe the injury was self-inflicted. The injury may lead to charges of the gun owner for providing access to a firearm. Abilene Police Chief Stan Standridge said he is referring the investigation once complete to the district attorneys office. Providing access to a firearm is a Class A misdemeanor, he said.

The incident happened at around 7:45 p.m. when three boys were left unattended when the mother, who lives at the house with one of the boys, left to run errands. The boys, 14, 15, and 16 years old, found a firearm in the house and were “passing it around.” The chief said the boy who lived in the house knew of the location of the firearm and invited his friends to handle the gun.

Sources told KTXS that 14-year-old Jaeden Livingston pointed the gun to his head, thinking it was not loaded, and pulled the trigger. Livingston did not live in the house, Standridge said. He was there hanging out with friends.

The boy was rushed to Hendrick Medical Center and then transferred to Cooks Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth overnight where he died. Family friend Whitney Marquez set up a GoFundMe page so others can donate to help Livingston’s mom.

Events moved quickly with the last 20 hours. The donations page was set up before the boy passed away at the hospital.

“Jennifer is a single mother of her two boys, Jaeden and Anthony. This family will need all our help to cover his medical bills, lodging & make sure their household remains intact while she cares for her son and sees him nursed back to health,” the GoFundMe page stated.

KTXS reported Livingston attended Madison Middle School in Abilene. The Abilene ISD will provide counselors to help classmates cope with the tragedy at school Monday.