A 15-year-old boy died over the weekend after shooting himself the night before a planned hunting trip, Jonesboro police said Monday.
In a report, police said they were called to a report of a shooting about 9:50 p.m. Saturday at 710 N. Caraway Road in Jonesboro.
At the scene, responding officers found two "extremely upset" men outside the residence: the father of the boy and an unidentified man. The two men told police that the victim was in the house's back bedroom.
Authorities said the unidentified victim, who had a gunshot wound in the right side of his head, was found on a bed unresponsive and still breathing. A black handgun was located in the boy's right hand, police said, adding that his finger was on the trigger.
A friend of the boy staying at the house went outside the residence to notify the victim's father that his son had shot himself after the friend had looked away at his phone, heard a gunshot then looked up to see the boy wounded, according to the report.
The victim's friend, whose identity has also not been released, told police that he and the boy had planned to go deer hunting Sunday morning.
Police said the victim was transported to St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, where he was later pronounced dead.
Additional firearms and ammunition were also were found in the bedroom, authorities said.
Jonesboro police spokesman Paul Holmes said no charges are anticipated in the shooting death, which authorities believe was accidental.
State Desk on 12/01/2015