Teen accidentally shot twin brother while trying to shoot snake, deputies say

LIBERTY COUNTY -- Investigators say a 14-year-old boy accidentally shot his twin brother while attempting to shoot a snake.

The Liberty County Sheriff's Office says the teens found a snake in a ditch of water.

Deputies say the twin said he and his brother saw a snake in the drainage ditch and went into the house and retrieved two .22 caliber rifles.

Just as one of the brothers aimed at the snake, the victim suddenly knelt down in between the snake and his brother and was shot approximately above the right ear, according to authorities.

The Sheriff's Office received a call reporting the shooting at about 3:45 p.m. on Monday.

When Deputy John Tucker arrived on the scene, he says the one brother quickly admitted to the shooting.

Captain Ken DeFoor with the Liberty County Sheriff's Office says this can be a tragic lesson for parents and kids everywhere.

"These guns that are left unsupervised in the home," he said. "There should definitely be training on how do you properly use these weapons. These boys were 14 years old. They were certainly old enough to be taught the proper handling of firearms, what they should and should not do. Never ever put yourself in the front of one like was done today. It was a thoughtless act that resulted in a tragic accident."

Life Flight was called to the scene. The teen was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital but was non-responsive. His present medical condition is unknown and being juveniles, the twin brother's names are not being released by the Sheriff's Office.

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