A 16-year-old boy was arrested in the Bronx on Monday and charged with murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the fatal shooting of another 16-year-old earlier this summer. The victim, identified as John Nunez, died on August 10 after being shot in the head inside a home on Prospect Avenue near East 169th Street.

According to police, Nunez and two other teenagers were handling a loaded pistol within a bedroom at approximately 5:10 a.m. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said one of the teens asked Nunez whether there was a bullet in the chamber. After Nunez responded “No,” the other teen removed the magazine, aimed the gun at Nunez, and fired.

Nunez was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene soon after. The teen who pulled the trigger fled the home with the pistol but left the magazine behind, where police recovered a shell casing. Officers initially described the shooting as accidental. A third individual present in the home—a friend aged 18—was questioned by authorities but was not charged.

The suspect who was taken into custody Monday reportedly has five prior arrests, including burglary and robbery-related offenses. Police had been searching for him in the weeks following the shooting.

John Nunez was a Metropolitan High School student and the youngest of three siblings. His family described him as a basketball and video game enthusiast. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident.