On August 20, 2015, Winston Brown, a 16-year-old student at Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth, Texas, suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the face. The incident occurred at a friend's apartment in the 5600 block of Shallow Run in Benbrook, a suburb of Fort Worth. According to Benbrook police, Winston and his friend were "carelessly" handling a .22 caliber rifle, which they believed to be non-functional, as it had not fired during previous handling two weeks prior.
Tragically, the rifle discharged, leading to Winston's injury. He was transported to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, where he later died.
The mother of Winston's friend informed authorities that she was unaware of the firearm's presence in her apartment and stated that she did not own a gun. Upon investigation, officers discovered two rounds of ammunition in the rifle's chamber. Benbrook police Commander David Babcock emphasized that there were no hostile intentions involved, describing the event as a tragic accident between best friends.
In the aftermath of the incident, there were no reports of arrests or charges filed, as the shooting was determined to be accidental. Authorities did not identify any suspects, given the nature of the event. The community mourned the loss of the young 16-year-old student, remembering him through various memorials and obituaries.
