The family of an Ohio boy accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend earlier this month claimed that the 16-year-old “accidentally” fired the shot.
Jaelynn Poturalski, 18, died from a gunshot wound to the chest on September 2. Her death was ruled a homicide by the Lucas County Coroner’s Office.
The juvenile suspect was arrested on murder charges and is being held at the Juvenile Justice Center.
“It was a neighborhood dispute that somehow turned into a fight and at some point, a gun was pulled,” police said.
The suspect’s parents said that the fight was initially involving younger kids before older children got into it. Poturalski was trying to calm the juvenile down when he produced a gun.
“He said, ‘I was just trying to scare them. I didn’t mean to shoot her’,” the teen’s father said.
“We’re not the parents to say, ‘Oh, our child would never! Our child would never! We’re not them. Bottom line is: Our child should have never picked up a gun. Behind him picking up a gun, someone he loves is gone.”
