A young girl was shot dead by one of her teenage friends while the trio were making music videos for TikTok.
According to the reports, the three girls were inside one of their family homes when 14-year-old Aaliyah Salazar was shot by one of her friends who was showing off the gun legally owned by her boyfriend, 21-year-old Emiliano Vargas.
While Salazar’s friends suggested that the shooting was an accident, both girls, who are minors, have since been charged with possession of a firearm by juveniles and reckless manslaughter.
Vargas, on the other hand, was charged with providing a minor – his 17-year-old girlfriend – with a firearm.
As one of the girls suspected of manslaughter allegedly told the police, she saw the other teen pick up the weapon and fire it at Salazar before dumping the gun on the bed of Madelyn and Waldo Padilla, the grandparents of Vargas.
“[Name] pick[ed] up the gun, pointed it at [Salazar] and shot [her]. I don’t know if [name] knew the clip was in the gun, but right after [name] shot [name] threw the gun on the bed,” one of the suspects said according to court documents.
It is believed that Vargas kept his gun in the open in the presence of minors, whereas his girlfriend was pictured with the firearm in some of their photos.
Furthermore, the affidavit claims that the shooting took place just moments after Salazar and one of her friends filmed a music video in which they were dancing while another girl was “fiddling with something [presumably the handgun] on the bed.”
“[Names] were excited to see it and wanted to hold the gun, so [name] provided it,” the papers state.
Following the tragic shooting, the girls allegedly admitted they didn’t help their bleeding friend because they “freaked out” and ran out of the room to call Vargas’ grandmother.
Meanwhile, the 14-year-old victim’s family has spoken out and called for Salazar’s friends to face consequences for their actions.
“The frustration I’ve got with that is if you take a life you should have to pay for it dearly. Not with a slap on the hand and say don’t do it again,” Gary Salazar, the girl’s grandfather, told 9 News.
Recalling the teen as a bubbly and friendly person, the grieving man added: “She could go into a store and come out with 20 new friends. She was just that type of person. She loved people and people loved her.”
Our thoughts are with Aaliyah’s family as the investigation into the shooting continues.
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