Utah teen charged in stepbrother’s shooting death

A Utah teenager has been charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of his stepbrother. Authorities initially believed his stepbrother had accidentally shot himself.

Prosecutors charged the 15-year-old with manslaughter and obstruction of justice Thursday in the March 18 death of his stepbrother in the Salt Lake City suburb of Kearns.

Charging documents say the teenager acknowledged that he pointed the gun at his stepbrother’s head and pulled the trigger because he thought the gun was unloaded. It happened while they were hanging out before school in a bedroom.

He initially told investigators on the day of the shooting that his back was turned when the gun went off and then saw his 16-year-old stepbrother on the ground.

The Associated Press isn’t naming the suspect because he’s a juvenile.