A 13-year-old boy died after being shot in the head while he and an 18-year-old were “playing around” with guns in a Covington kitchen.
The boy, whose identity was not released by Covington police, died May 3 after being shot in an apartment on the 100 block of East 11th Street a week prior, according to a department news release.
Officers found the 13-year-old with a gunshot wound to the head after being called to the apartment around 11:30 p.m. April 24, according to court documents.
Multiple witnesses reported seeing 18-year-old Ryan Cupp, of Independence, and the 13-year-old “playing around” with handguns in the kitchen, court documents state.
One witness said she saw Cupp point his gun at the 13-year-old and pull the trigger. Witnesses reported that Cupp then threw both guns at another person and told him to get rid of them, according to court documents.
Once police arrived, the boy was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center by ambulance, where he was listed in critical condition.
Police detectives located two guns in the backyard of the apartment: one Sig Saurer P365 with gold accents and the other a black Ruger. A live round and shell casing were found on the floor next to the 13-year-old.
Cupp fled the scene, court documents state. Two days later, he turned himself into police after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Cupp was initially charged with first-degree assault in connection with the shooting. Following the boy’s death, the Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office has advised that Cupp’s charges will be upgraded to wanton murder at a court hearing this week.
Cupp remains in custody at the Kenton County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond, according to jail records.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 13-year-old dies a week after being shot in Covington apartment
Reporting by David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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