A 16-year-old is charged with homicide after accidentally shooting a man Friday night in Bethlehem while the pair played video games, according to authorities.
Hezekiah Goodman, of Bethlehem, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon on a charge of homicide, alleging he fatally shot Jose Yapur De Los-Santos in a home in the 1100 block of Maple Street. Goodman was sent to Northampton County Prison without bail. He is charged as an adult.
Yapur De Los-Santos died from his injuries Sunday morning.
City police wrote in court documents that Goodman, Yapur De Los Santos, Goodman’s brother and a friend were at the home playing video games for several hours that day, when Goodman handled a rifle and fired it, hitting Yapur De Los Santos.
Yapur De Los Santos had been staying at the home, where Goodman’s brother lives, for about a week at that point, police said. The four of them were playing video games with the intention of going trick or treating later, court documents state.
A rifle was on the bed that the group was sitting on, and it had been moved around the whole time the group was in the room, charging documents state.
“The gun, I picked it up and I accidentally shot it,” Goodman allegedly told authorities. He hit Yapur De Los Santos, who was sitting next to him, in the eye, police said.
Goodman told police fled the scene because he was scared, but was convinced to return by his brother and mother, according to authorities. His brother said the gun had been in the home for about two weeks, but was not sure who owned it, court documents state. He claimed it may have belonged to a friend of his girlfriend’s brother’s, police said.
Witnesses said there were no arguments between any of the people there before the shooting.
Goodman was arrested and charged with aggravated assault initially. He was later charged with homicide after Yapur De Los Santos died. Goodman does not have an attorney listed for him.