A teenager shot his friend in the head at point-blank range during a New Year's prank, authorities said.
A teenager who initially lied to police has been arrested for shooting to death a friend during a “prank” on New Year’s Eve, authorities said.
Nathaniel Thomas, 19, held a gun to the head of friend Gage Bodenheimer and pulled the trigger, thinking the chamber was empty, Arizona officials said. It was not.
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Thomas at first lied to Chandler Police Department officers, investigators said, and told them he fired in self-defense after Bodenheimer broke into his apartment, the Arizona Republic reported.
But witnesses who had spent the night at Chandler’s home said the victim was asleep on the floor when Thomas allegedly pointed his gun at Bodenheimer’s head, intending to wake him by pulling the trigger, authorities said.
Police said Thomas also claimed the gun had gone off when Bodenheimer grabbed it.
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Thomas has a long history of gun use, police said, and was wearing a gun holster around his waist when authorities arrived.
He was arrested Thursday and charged with second-degree murder and indifference to human life, police said. It was not clear whether he has been arraigned or has an attorney.
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