Uncle playing with 12-year-old kills him with gun he thought was empty, Texas cops say

An uncle saw his 12-year-old nephew playing with a toy gun, then grabbed his real gun so they could play together, according to authorities in Texas.

Thinking the gun was empty, the 22-year-old man said he fired his weapon toward his nephew, police said. The boy was shot one time.

Officers with the Houston Police Department were called to the shooting at about 6:25 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 in Humble, just north of Houston, according to a news release.

Authorities found the child dead at the scene.

Cesar Chavez was arrested and charged with manslaughter in the fatal shooting of his nephew, according to an Oct. 24 news release. Police have not publicly identified the child.

This story was originally published October 24, 2022 at 12:40 PM with the headline "Uncle playing with 12-year-old kills him with gun he thought was empty, Texas cops say."