Charges: Teen 'accidentally' shot friend while exchanging guns in Crystal, Minn.
(KMSP) - A juvenile male has been charged in the shooting death of an 18-year-old outside a gas station in Crystal, Minnesota, over the weekend.
Haeveon Wesley was shot outside the SuperAmerica on West Broadway late Saturday and was later pronounced dead at North Memorial Hospital around 11:30 p.m.
17-year-old Cortez Ananias Williams is now charged with second degree manslaughter.
Through investigation, police learned that Wesley and Williams were close friends and that they had been exchanging guns when Wesley was shot.
During interviews, Williams admitted that he had the handgun when it discharged, hitting and killing Wesley. He said that they were both drunk and that the shooting was an accident.
According to the complaint, Williams and a friend picked up Wesley, planning to meet other friends at the gas station. As the three traveled in the car, Wesley took out a gun, and it discharged but did not hit him. Williams said he took the gun from Wesley and that it "went off easily." He also thought it had not been maintained properly.
Once they arrived at the gas station, Williams said he held the .22 caliber gun by its handle and extended the barrel of the gun toward Wesley. He said Wesley grabbed the barrel of the gun and then Williams heard a gunshot. Williams said he saw Wesley "slouched over," and he saw the .22 caliber gun fall to the ground.
Williams said he checked and saw a hole in Wesley's chest. He then told a friend in the car to drive to the hospital.
Before they reached the hospital, Williams told the driver to pull over so he could remove the guns from the car because "he was on probation, and he knew he couldn't be around firearms."
In a follow-up interview, Williams said he looked at the .22 caliber gun prior to the shooting and attempted to determine whether the safety was on. He also said he was shot last fall and that he's affiliated with the YNT/Freeshots criminal gang.
Further investigation revealed information that contradicts Williams' statement about hiding the guns.
Williams is on juvenile probation for a weapons offense.