Teen Killed After Stolen Gun He Passed Around With Friends Fires: Police

A 14-year-old boy was killed when a stolen gun accidentally discharged while he and a group of friends were playing video games inside a North Carolina home on Sunday.

The teenagers were reportedly passing around the weapon when it fired just before 5 p.m. at a home in the 800 block of Maple Avenue in Salisbury, about 42 miles southeast of Charlotte.

Officers said they were told that the group had been playing video games when the shooting occurred, according to a statement issued by the Salisbury Police Department (SPD) on Monday.

The gun was later identified as stolen from another location, police said.

The victim was taken to Novant Health Rowan Medical Center but later died from his injuries. His identity has not been disclosed, though police have said he attended Salisbury High School.

"Due to the sensitivity of the death, local schools are on precautionary lockdown," police said, adding that preliminary information so far suggests the shooting was accidental.

Salisbury High School, Overton Elementary and Knox Middle schools are all in a code yellow lockdown "with extra law enforcement presence," according to a Rowan-Salisbury Schools statement, as reported by the Charlotte Observer.

A yellow lockdown goes into effect when there's a "perceived threat" in the area and increased security is needed to escort visitors and classes, according to the district's safety department.

"The safety of our students is our top priority," the district said. "We will continue to work closely with law enforcement as they continue their investigation and take all necessary measures in assuring that our schools remain safe."

Counselors were reportedly made available for Salisbury High School students.

In the wake of the death, the Salisbury Police Department urged families to stay up to date with the best gun safety practices.

"SPD encourages families who keep firearms in the home to stay up to date and [be] knowledgeable about best safety practices," the force said in a tweet on Tuesday. "Hiding weapons is not enough. Children are curious, and studies show that they usually know where a family keeps a gun."

The department also shared four of their top gun safety tips, including treating all guns as if they are loaded, safely and securely storing any weapons in the home, talking to children about gun safety and being responsible for securing weapons and reporting anything stolen immediately.

Police say they are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.

Newsweek has contacted the Salisbury Police Department for comment.