Teen charged with criminally negligent homicide after deadly Lubbock shooting
Police on Thursday confirmed a 17-year-old has been charged in connection with the shooting death of another teenager earlier this month in a west Lubbock home.
The Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit arrested 17-year-old Jaden Montelongo on a charge of criminally negligent homicide in the shooting death of 17-year-old Austin Cruz, according to a statement from the Lubbock Police Department.
Lubbock Police Officers responded to a shots fired call in the 4900 block of 9th Street received at 9:04 a.m. Jan. 13. Officers located Cruz with a gunshot wound. He was taken by ambulance to University Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.
Shortly after the shooting, a police report indicated Montelongo had initially told police the shooting was accidental, with Montelongo telling police the gun was under the mattress and that it discharged when he got on the bed.
But a warrant indicated police found no evidence of a gun being fired on the bed.
The initial investigation indicates Cruz was visiting Montelongo at his house. Cruz and Montelongo were handling the firearm when Cruz was shot in what Montelongo said was an accident.
A warrant for criminally negligent homicide was issued for Montelongo, who turned himself into the Lubbock County Detention Center at approximately 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. He was booked into the center and is being held on $50,000 bond.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Teen charged with criminally negligent homicide after deadly shooting
