A 13-year-old boy was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy inside a New York home on Thursday.
Officers in Newburgh, located about 60 miles north of New York City, responded at around 8 a.m. on Thursday to a shooting at 184 North Miller Street. Upon arrival, police discovered the young victim, who was dead from a gunshot wound, according to a Friday press release from the Newburgh Police Department.
Local authorities, including the City of Newburgh Detective Division and the Non-Fatal Shooting Task Force, immediately launched an investigation, as noted in the release.
FILE PHOTO: An aerial view of Newburgh, a small city in Orange County, N.Y. A 13-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy inside a Newburgh home, police announced Friday. (iStock)
A firearm was recovered, and three minors of interest were quickly identified and located. Authorities arrested a 13-year-old male suspect for second-degree murder within 12 hours, according to the news release.
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The boy was not related to the victim, police said.
FILE PHOTO: The Newburgh Police Department is pictured here. Officers in Newburgh responded at around 8 a.m. on Thursday to a shooting at 184 North Miller Street. (Google Maps)
One source said the young boy was shot in the head while other children were playing with a firearm, according to FOX 5 New York.
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The victim was a student in the Newburgh Enlarged City School District.
"The loss of one young life and the arrest of another is an unimaginable tragedy, one that deeply affects our entire school community," Dr. J. Manning Campbell, superintendent of schools, said in a statement Friday. "Two children, full of potential, now represent devastating losses in different ways. Our hearts ache for their families, their friends, their teachers, and everyone who has been touched by this tragedy."
FILE PHOTO: Police units respond to the scene of an emergency. Authorities arrested a 13-year-old boy for second-degree murder, according to the news release. (Getty Images)
Support services and counseling are being offered to students and staff, Campbell said.
"Please do not hesitate to reach out. No one should carry this pain alone," he said. "As we mourn the loss of life and reflect on the deep impact of this event, let us hold one another in compassion and recommit ourselves to nurturing hope, safety, and love for all of our children."
The Newburgh Police Department and the Newburgh Enlarged City School District did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.