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13-year-old boy who finds Ruger by trash can and shoots his friend in the head while playing with it is facing adult murder charge: Police

 
Daniel Hawkins-Boyce and William Boyd in Montgomery County

Authorities respond to a shooting at a home on the 800 block of Arch Street in Norristown, Pennsylvania (WPVI/YouTube).

A 13-year-old boy in Pennsylvania allegedly found a gun by a trash can and fatally shot his 16-year-old friend with it, authorities say.

Daniel Hawkins-Boyce is charged with third-degree murder in the death of William Boyd, according to court records reviewed by Law&Crime and the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office. The defendant has also been charged with receiving stolen property, involuntary manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a minor and possession of an instrument of crime with intent.

On June 3, a Ruger .380 handgun was reported stolen out of Philadelphia, the DA's office said. Authorities say that gun was used in the fatal shooting.

A family member of Hawkins-Boyce's said the defendant "had found a handgun beside a trash can and was playing with it" on Sept. 22. He was at a home on the 800 block of Arch Street in Norristown, Pennsylvania, with Boyd, who regional ABC affiliate WPVI reported was his friend.

Hawkins-Boyce allegedly fired the gun, and the bullet hit Boyd in the face.

At about 10:30 a.m. that day, the Norristown Police Department responded to the home after receiving a 911 call about a shooting. Officers arrived to find Boyd dead on the first floor.

Dr. Lauren Thoma with the Montgomery County Coroner's Office performed an autopsy on Boyd and "determined the cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was homicide."

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Detectives searching the scene found and seized the Ruger and learned that it had been reported stolen months before.

Hawkins-Boyce was detained and charged in adult court. Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said the evidence in the case "clearly showed that the defendant recklessly fired the firearm at the victim, fatally striking him."

The DA added: "Despite the child's age, Pennsylvania law requires us to charge the defendant in adult court, but we anticipate that the Court will review whether or not the case will remain in adult or move to juvenile court."

The defendant was arraigned on Wednesday and his bail was set at 10% of $200,000, meaning he can be released for $20,000. He is due to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 14.

Norristown, Pennsylvania, is located about 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

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