PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A 14-year-old boy is in the hospital after the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says he was shot accidentally on Wednesday.
Detectives say everyone involved in the shooting are 14-year-old boys.
Tina Washington walked out of her home Wednesday and saw deputies everywhere. Just around the corner from her home, Pinellas County detectives say a group of 14-year-old boys were together in the Rainbow Village neighborhood when one was accidentally shot.
“This is a little too close to home,” Washington said. “I have smaller children. I have a special needs child and my own life, doesn’t my life matter?”
Washington soon learned the teen who was shot went to school with her children a year ago. She also found out one of the teens in the group is someone she considers family.
“I talked with the mom. I’m too upset to talk with him because he knows better,” Washington said. “Mom dropped them off at the bus stop. He just walked away. Just went to hang out with his friend.”
Washington says the boys didn’t know the gun was loaded when one of them pulled the trigger.
“Children shouldn’t be able to get guns and have guns, Washington said. “Children should be required to be in school.”
Washington says enough is enough. She wants to find solutions to gun violence in her community, but she doesn’t want to do it alone.
“I want to do something,” Washington said, “I cannot just keep not doing anything. I don’t know how I’m going to sleep tonight feeling like I didn’t do anything.”
She believes it takes a village and won’t stay silent until she sees change.
“Resources in this area need to come together, have a sit down and figure out what needs to be done,” Washington said. “Put some things in place because it’s going to keep happening if we don’t.”
The teen was taken to the hospital and is in serious but stable condition.
