A 13-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree murder following the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old inside a home on North Miller Street in Newburgh, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
The teen was arraigned Friday in the youth part of Orange County Court. District Attorney David Hoovler described the case as a “terrible tragedy,” noting that it involved more than just unsupervised children with access to a firearm.
“This case is terrible. What we are seeing is terrible,” Hoovler said.
Authorities said the 11-year-old victim and three other children were in a room when the gun went off shortly after 8 a.m. Thursday. The victim was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.
The three other boys fled the home but were later found by police. One of them—the 13-year-old—was taken into custody and appeared before Family Court Judge Victoria Campbell, who sealed the proceedings at his attorney’s request.
Hoovler added that social media use played a role in the investigation, suggesting it may have influenced the children’s behavior.
“They have no personal contact with people,” Hoovler said. “Therefore, when they use guns, there’s no personal connection to understand the finality that lives are lost… that families are changed forever.”
The accused appeared solemn and handcuffed before the court. His attorney, James Monroe, declined to comment in detail, saying:
“For today’s purposes, it doesn’t really matter if this was an accident or a crime. An 11-year-old is sadly dead today. Nothing can change that fact.”
An indictment is expected within two weeks, after which more details about the circumstances may be released.
The 13-year-old is currently held at a local jail separate from adult inmates. If convicted as a youth offender, the court will consider different sentencing guidelines based on his age and the severity of the offense.
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