A 19-year-old Georgia woman is dead after her boyfriend shot her in the head while “playing” with a gun they didn’t know was loaded.
Sebastian Prestridge, 19, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Nina Ramirez, WSB reported.
Ramirez’s mother, Maria Carmen Ramirez, told the station that a group of friends were having a sleepover at her home when the shooting took place just before 1:30 a.m. Thursday. The gun belonged to a friend of Prestridge.
“They were playing with the gun,” Ramirez said, adding that no one checked to see if the gun was loaded before they started passing it around and “playing” with it.
Investigators say Prestridge remained at the scene and cooperated.
Ramirez said she believes the shooting “was just an accident” but says it’s a wake up call about gun safety.
“People have to take care of the guns and save it in a safe place,” she said. “It’s not okay that this kind of accidents happen.”
“This is an incredibly tragic situation, and our hearts go out to the victim’s family and loved ones,” said Captain Dena Pauly, public information officer for the Lawrenceville Police Department. “Our investigators are working diligently to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding this young woman’s death.”
Prestridge is being held without bond, Law&Crime reported.
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[Featured image: Nina Ramirez/GoFundMe and Sebastian Prestridge/Gwinnett County Jail]
