FRANKLIN COUNTY — Pennsylvania State Police say the 13-year-old brother of 9-year-old boy who died Wednesday morning in Waynesboro Borough was taken into custody and charged with homicide.
According to police, Brayden Wright, who was identified in the criminal complaint as the 13-year-old, retrieved a 9mm handgun in the residence and fatally shot his younger brother in the head.
According to the criminal complaint, Waynesboro Police were called to a home on Cleveland Avenue on Wednesday, July 8, just after 6 a.m., for a report of a "fall victim."
Wright made the call to Franklin County Dispatch, telling them that his brother was hurt, and to send help.
When police arrived at the scene, they found the 9-year-old in cardiac arrest and bleeding from the head.
The 9-year-old boy was taken to Waynesboro Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the criminal complaint.
Preliminary interviews conducted by State Police determined that Wright was alone in the home's living room with the victim when the shooting happened.
The Franklin County Coroner's Office confirmed that the 9-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his head, behind his left ear.
Wright's father, Mark Snyder, told State Police that there are two loaded 9mm handguns in the unlocked console of the couch in the home's living room, where his sons were playing at the time of the incident. He said he keeps the guns loaded for home protection.
According to the criminal complaint, Wright was taken to Waynesboro Police Department, accompanied by his grandmother, who was also listed as his guardian.
Wright told police that he wanted to play cops and robbers with his brother, so he took one of the guns, which he knew was loaded, out of the couch's console.
Wright said he pressed the gun's muzzle to the back left side of the 9-year-old's head, squeezing the trigger, because the 9-year-old was not complying to his commands while playing cops and robbers.
Wright admitted to being angry with the victim for not listening to him.
Wright told investigators that his father has told him never to point a gun at another person.
Wright also admitted to handling guns inside the home without his parents' knowledge.
Wright said he used a silver and black 9mm handgun, the same description of the gun seized at the scene.
Wright said he put the gun back in the couch's console after shooting the victim.
Wright faces charges of criminal homicide and aggravated assault.
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