DC Teen Dies Filming Video With Unsecured Gun

A 14-year-old girl in Northeast Washington, D.C., died after accidentally shooting herself while filming a social media video inside an apartment on Benning Road NE. Police responded around 5 p.m. and found the girl with a gunshot wound to her upper body; she died despite life-saving efforts. Preliminary investigation indicates the firearm discharged as she was handling it for the video, with multiple people, including at least one adult, present in the apartment. Authorities recovered the weapon but have not released the victim’s name or details on the gun’s ownership, and the investigation is ongoing. D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith called the incident a devastating reminder of the importance of keeping firearms secured and away from youth. The case underscores a nationwide issue, as dozens of children and teens in the U.S. are accidentally killed by firearms each year, often due to guns stored loaded and unlocked.