In the early morning hours of December 17, 2016, a gathering of teenagers in Wichita, Kansas, turned tragic, ending the life of 16-year-old Nautica Whittiker, a Black/African American female. The incident occurred in the basement of a house in the 1300 block of North Erie, where Nautica was visiting with friends.
According to the Wichita police, Nautica's death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound that was deemed accidental.
She and a group of other teenagers were reportedly playing with a shotgun when the firearm discharged. At the time of the incident, there were a total of six people in the basement: four teenagers, an 18-year-old, and a man in his 30s. Other adults were present upstairs in the home.
Law enforcement officials reported that the shotgun belonged to someone who resided at the house. After conducting interviews with several witnesses and examining the evidence at the scene, the police concluded that the shooting was unintentional. Authorities stated that no charges were being pursued in connection with the fatal incident. Police were also looking into whether the firearm was legally owned. Officers responded to a 911 call regarding the shooting at approximately 2:15 a.m. and found Nautica deceased in the basement upon their arrival.
