COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah -- A 17-year-old boy is dead and two 16-year-old boys are in police custody after a shooting in Cottonwood Heights Wednesday night.
The shooting happened around 10:30 in the basement of a home near 6800 S Pine Rock Dr.
Lt. Mark Askerlund, Cottonwood Heights PD, said the home is the residence of one of the 16-year-old boys who were arrested and his parents were home at the time.
Police said two 18-year-old women were sitting on a couch and three teenage boys, including the victim, were in a closet at the time of the shooting.
"One of the young men brought the gun to the home and they were showing each other the gun. We believe they actually felt the gun was unloaded," Askerlund said.
The gun involved was a revolver, Askerlund said, but it is not believed the boys were playing Russian roulette.
"It would appear that the guys went into a closet to handle or look at a firearm, pulled the trigger, it went off, struck one of the individuals in the head and killed him," said Lt. Mark Askerlund, Cottonwood Heights Police Department.
Police believe the revolver had been stolen during a residential burglary, but it isn't clear if any of the teens were involved in that burglary.
One of the boys taken into custody was charged with negligent homicide and the other was charged with receiving stolen property. Both were booked into a juvenile detention facility.
Police said the five teens had gathered to celebrate the end of the school year, but police did not have reason to believe drugs or alcohol were factors.
