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Teen dies after unsupervised kids get ahold of gun and it goes off, police say

Police said there were no parents in the home when the kids, ages 5 to 17, were handling the gun.

PHOENIX — A 14-year-old boy died after he was shot near 43rd Avenue and Baseline Road Monday afternoon. 

Police said the group of kids told officers they were handling a gun when it went off, hitting the teen.

The boy who was shot was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and was later pronounced dead. He was identified on Tuesday as Darric Appleton.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested and booked for manslaughter and weapons violations. The boy also allegedly brought the gun with him to the house. 

Police said there were at least five other kids – their ages ranging from 5 to 16 or 17 – in the home when officers arrived. 

There were no adults in the home at the time of the shooting. 

Appleton did not live in the home where he was shot.

Nobody else was injured, police said.

The investigation is ongoing. 

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