‘A tragic accident.’ Brother kills 8-year-old with pellet gun, Washington cops say

A boy died after his brother accidentally shot him with a pellet gun, Washington deputies said.

The shooting took place near Moses Lake around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Kyle Foreman, a spokesperson for the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, which posted a video about the deadly events on Facebook.

A 13-year-old boy shot his younger brother, 8, in the chest with the pellet gun, Foreman told McClatchy News in a phone interview. While first responders attempted life-saving efforts, the 8-year-old died at the scene.

The case — which is being investigated as an accident — will be forwarded to the county prosecutor, who is not expected to file any criminal charges against the parents or teen, Foreman said.

The coroner will release the name of the 8-year-old later on Wednesday, Foreman said.

“What we ask is that everyone prays for the family and for the little boy, and for the little boy’s friends and their loved ones,” Foreman said in the video. “Please show some compassion and empathy in any of the comments that you make. Sometimes it’s easy to be judgmental about situations like this, and this just isn’t the time or place to do it.”

This story was originally published May 19, 2021 at 11:18 AM with the headline "‘A tragic accident.’ Brother kills 8-year-old with pellet gun, Washington cops say."