Brandon Dominique Wren, a 15-year-old from Minneapolis, MN, tragically died on May 3, 2015, from a gunshot wound to the neck. The incident occurred at around 11 p.m. in his family's home located on the 4100 block of Fremont Ave. N. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner confirmed his death as a result of the gunshot wound.
The shooting was reported to be accidental, involving Brandon's 14-year-old brother.
The boys had reportedly found a gun in a nearby park and brought it back to their house. While playing with the firearm in an upstairs bedroom, the 14-year-old brother accidentally discharged the weapon, striking Brandon in the neck. An 18-year-old brother was also present at the time of the incident.
The family described Brandon as a ninth-grader at Patrick Henry High School who was always laughing and aspired to be a basketball star. His death came just a day after the funeral of his 28-year-old step-sister, who had died of cancer.
The police recovered the gun from the scene and are treating the death as a homicide, which is a medical term indicating one person causing the death of another, regardless of intent. The investigation is ongoing, and it will be up to the Hennepin County Attorney to determine if any charges will be filed.
