MOORHEAD 鈥� The of a 13-year-old boy last week in Moorhead has been ruled an accident, police said.
Police identified the victim as Zain Hussein Mezher, of Moorhead.
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The young teenager died from an 鈥渁ccidental gunshot wound鈥� on Friday, police said.
鈥淭he incident is tragic, and our sympathies go out to the family and friends of those involved,鈥� the Moorhead Police Department said in a statement Monday, June 26. 鈥淭here is no danger to the public, and the incident is still under investigation.鈥�
Police responded at about 6:10 p.m. Friday to a report of a shooting in the 1000 block of 19th Street South.
A group of children had obtained a handgun and had it in a wooded area near Romkey Park when it went off, police said.
The bullet hit Zain, police said. Emergency workers tried to save his life, but he died from his injuries.
Authorities are investigating how the children acquired the handgun, said Moorhead Police Capt. Deric Swenson. The gun was recovered by police, police said.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office in St. Paul conducted an autopsy, and preliminary findings showed the boy's cause of death was a single gunshot wound, according to police.
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It鈥檚 unclear if charges will be filed in the case.
鈥淭he Clay County Attorney's Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Apprehension are still actively assisting in the investigation,鈥� Moorhead police said in their statement. 鈥淎ny charges regarding this incident will be the decision of the Clay County Attorney's Office when the case has concluded.鈥�
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